LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



I Shelf..R24.. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




SIR WALTER SCOTT. 



(Knfflifil) ClafifiicB for ^c()ool EeaUinff, 



TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY 

IN PROSE AND VERSE. 



SELECTED FROM THE WORKS 
OF 

STANDARD AUTHORS. 



Edited, with Notes, 

J" 
WILLIAM J. ROLFE, Litt.D. 



ILLUSTRATED. 



lijH^Cojyi 



NEW YORK: / 
HARPER & BROTHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE. 
1891. 



Copyright, 1891, by Harper & Brothers. 

All rights reserved. 



PREFACE. 



The plan of this book is similar to that of the Tales from English 
History and the Tales of Chivalry. " My aim," as I said in the pref- 
ace to the latter, "is to edit certain selections from standard prose 
and poetry suited either for 'supplementary reading,' as it is called, 
or for elementary study in English literature. The brief foot-notes 
under the text are perhaps all that some teachers will regard as nec- 
essary for the former purpose ; but I believe that the longer notes 
at the end of the book will be found more or less useful and sug- 
gestive for oral instruction in connection with the reading-lessons. 
These latter notes, however, are more especially designed for the 
other purpose I have mentioned — elementary study of language and 
literature. They have been prepared with much care, and I am con- 
fident that they will be perfectly intelligible to boys and girls in 
grammar schools and others of similar grade." 

How I think the books should be used is explained in a little 
pamphlet of "Hints to Teachers," which may be obtained, post- 
free, from the publishers. 

The selections are arranged in historical or chronological order, 
and the book is complete in itself, as every volume of the series is 
intended to be. 

Of the selections from Scott, the two concerning Mary Queen of 
Scots are condensed from The Abbot, the Rob Roy is from the intro- 
duction to the novel with that title, and The Battle of Preston Pans 
is from Waverley. The rest are from the Tales of a Grandfather. 

W. J. R. 

Cambridge, March 24, 1891. 




^SJI "-^-^ 



CONTENTS. 



Sir Patrick Spens {Anonymous) i 

Robert the Bruce {Scott) \ 5 

The Taking of Three Castles {Scott) 30 

Douglas and the Heart of Robert Bruce {Scott) 38 

The Heart of the Bruce {Aytoim) 44 

The Battle of Otterburn ( Scott) 53 

The Battle of Otterbourne {Anonymous) 57 

The Battle of Flodden {Scott) 63 

Edinburgh after Flodden {Aytoun) 73 

The Goodman of Ballengiech {Scott) 87 

Mary Queen of Scots Resigns the Crown {Scott) 92 

Escape of Queen Mary from Lochleven {Scott) 109 

Queen Mary's Escape from Lochleven {Allan) 120 

The Execution of Montrose {Aytoun) 121 

Killiecrankie and the Death of Dundee {Scott) 130 

The Burial- March of Dundee {Aytoun) 135 

Rob Roy {Scott) , 142 

The Battle of Preston Pans {Scott) 150 

Lochiel's Warning {Campbell) 158 



NOTES. 



163 




TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 



SIR PATRICK SPENS. 
From Scott's "Border Minstrelsy.'* 

The king sits in Dunfermline * town, 
Drinking the blude-red'* wine: 

"O, where will I get a skeely^ skipper 
To sail this new ship of mine ?" 

O, up and spake an eldern* knight, 
Sat at the king's right knee : 

" Sir Patrick Spens is the best sailor 
That ever sailed the sea." 

Our king has written a braid ^ letter, 
And sealed it with his hand, 

And sent it to Sir Patrick Spens, 
Was walking on the strand. 

" To Noroway, to Noroway, 
To Noroway o'er the faem ;' 

The king's daughter of Noroway, 
'T is thou maun' bring her hame* !" 



* Pronounced Dum-fer'-lin. 

* Aged. * Broad (brade). 
' Must. 



t> 

2 Blood-red. ' Skilful. 

' Foam (pronounced fame). 

* Home. 



TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

The first word that Sir Patrick read, 

SaeMoud loud laughed he; 
The neist^ word that Sir Patrick read, 

The tear blindit his e'e.' 20 

"O, wha* is this has done this deed, 

And tauld' the king o' me, 
To send us out at this time o' the year 

To sail upon the sea ? 

" Be it wind, be it weet,^ be it hail, be it sleet, 25 

Our ship must sail the faem ; 
The king's daughter of Noroway, 

'T is we must fetch her hame." 

They hoysed' their sails on Monenday* morn 

Wi' a' ® the speed they may ; 30 

They hae^° landed in Noroway 
Upon a Wodensday." 

They hadna''^ been a week, a week. 

In Noroway, but twae,^' 
When that the lords o' Noroway 35 

Began aloud to say : 

"Ye Scottishmen spend a' our king's gowd" 

And a' our queenis'^ fee." — 
"Ye lie, ye lie, ye liars loud! 

Fu"Moud I hear ye lie ! 40 



« 



^ So (pronounced like say). * Next (pronounced nest). 

3 Blinded his eye. ^ Who {a as in all). * Told. « Wet. 
' Hoisted. « Monday. ' All {a as in all). '" HaVe (ha). 
" Wednesday. '^ Had not. '^ Tm-o (twa). 

"■* Gold {ow as in coiu). " Queen's. •* Full 



SIR PATRICK SFENS. 3 

" For I hae brought as much white monie 

As gane^ my men and me; 
And I brought a half-fou^ of gude^ red gowd 

Out owre* the sea wi' me. 

" Make ready, make ready, my merry men a' ! 45 

Our gude ship sails the morn." — 
"Now, ever alakeM my master dear, 

I fear a deadly storm. 

" I saw the new moon, late yestreen,® 

Wi' the auld' moon in her arm; so 

And if we gang*^ to sea, master, 

I fear we '11 come to harm." 

They hadna sailed a league, a league, 

A league, but barely three. 
When the lift® grew dark, and the wind blew loud, 55 

And gurly^" grew the sea. 

The ankers brak ^^ and the topmasts lap,^^ 

It was sic ^^ a deadly storm ; 
And the waves cam' owre the broken ship 

Till a' her sides were torn. ' 60 

"O, where will I get a gude sailor 

To take my helm in hand 
Till I get up to the tall topmast 

To see if I can spy land ?" 

" O, here am I, a sailor gude, 65 

To take the helm in hand 
Till you go up to the tall topmast— 

But I fear you '11 ne'er spy land." 

' Sufficed. ' Half-bushel. ^ Good. ♦ Over (like oe?). 
* Alack. ^ Yester-eve, last night. '' Old. » Go. 

^ Sky. 1° Stormy. » Broke. ''^ Sprang. '^ c^y^h. 



TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

He hadna gane ' a step, a step, 

A step, but barely ane,'"* 70 

When a bout^ flew out of our goodly ship, 

And the salt sea it cam' in. 

"Gae* fetch a web o' the silken claith,' 

Another o' the twine. 
And wap" them into our ship's side, 75 

And let nae^ the sea come in." 

They fetched a web o' the silken claith. 

Another o' the twine. 
And they wapped them round that gude ship's 
side ; 

But still the, sea cam' in. 80 

O, laith,^ laith were our gude Scots lords 

To weet their cork-heeled shoon," 
But lang'° or" a' the play was played 

They wat" their hats aboon ! '^ 

And mony '* was the feather bed 8 

That flattered '^ on the faem ; 
And mony was the gude lord's son 

That never mair^^ cam' hame! 



The ladyes wrang their fingers white. 

The maidens tore their hair, 
A' for the sake of their true loves; 

For them they '11 see nae'^ mair. 

» Gone. 2 One (ane). ^ Bolt. * Go (ga). 

* Cloth (clath). « Wrap. ' Not. » Loath. 

* Shoes. '° Long. " Before. '^ Wet. 

•3 Above. '■1 Many. »* Fluttered, floated. 

i« More. " No. 



90 



SIR PATRICK SPEAKS. 

O, lang, lang may the ladyes sit, 
Wi' their fans into their hand, 

Before they see Sir Patrick Spens 
Come sailing to the strand ! 

And lang, lang may the maidens sit, 
Wi' their gowd kaims ^ in their hair, 

A' waiting for their ain^ dear loves; 
For them they '11 see nae mair! 

O, forty miles off Aberdeen 

'T is fifty fathoms deep, 
And there lies gude Sir Patrick Spens 

Wi' the Scots lords at his feet! 



9S 



' Combs. 



2 Own. 




#:^^^-~'^ 



AJ^-t^ 




CASTLE OF ROBERT BRUCE, LOCHMaBEM. 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. 

By Sir Walter Scott. 

Robert the Bruce had fixed his purpose to attempt 
once again to drive the English out of Scotland, and he 
desired to prevail upon Sir John the Red Comyn,' who 
was his rival in his pretensions to the throne, to join 
with him in expelling the foreign enemy by their com- 5 
nion efforts. With this purpose, Bruce posted down 
' rronounced Cum'-in. See A'o/t's. 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. 7 

from London to Dumfries, on the borders of Scotland, 
and requested an interview with John Comyn. They 
met in the church of the Minorites in that town, before 
the high altar. What passed betwixt them is not known 10 
with certainty; but they quarrelled, either concerning 
their mutual pretensions to the crown or because Comyn 
refused to join Bruce in the proposed insurrection against 
the English; or, as many writers say, because Bruce 
charged Comyn with having betrayed to the English his 'S 
purpose of rising up against King Edward. It is, how- 
ever, certain that these two haughty barons came to 
high and abusive words, until at length Bruce, who was 
extremely passionate, forgot the sacred character of the 
place in which they stood and struck Comyn a blow 20 
with his dagger. Having done this rash deed, he in- 
stantly ran out of the church and called for his horse. 
Two gentlemen of the country, Lindesay and Kirkpat- 
rick, friends of Bruce, were then in attendance on him. 
Seeing him pale, bloody, and in much agitation, they 25 
eagerly inquired what was the matter. 

" I doubt," * said Bruce, " that I have slain the Red 
Comyn." 

" Do you leave such a matter in doubt ?" said Kirk- 
patrick. " I will make sicker !" — that is, I will make 30 
certain. 

Accordingly, he and his companion Lindesay rushed 
into the church and made the matter certain with a 
vengeance, by dispatching the wounded Comyn with 
their daggers. His uncle, Sir Robert Comyn, was slain 33 
at the same time. 

This slaughter of Comyn was a rash and cruel action; 
and the historian of Bruce observes that it was followed 
' Suspect. 



8 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

by the displeasure of Heaven ; for no man ever went 
through more misfortunes than Robert Bruce, although 4° 
he at length rose to great honor. 

After the deed was done, Bruce might be called des- 
perate. He had committed an action which was sure to 
bring down upon him the vengeance of all Comyn's re- 
lations, the resentment of the King of England, and the 45 
displeasure of the Church, on account of having slain 
his enemy within consecrated ground. He determined, 
therefore, to bid them all defiance at once, and to assert 
his pretensions to the throne of Scotland. He drew his 
own followers together, summoned to meet him such 50 
barons as still entertained hopes of the freedom of the 
country, and was crowned king at the Abbey of Scone, 
the usual place where the kings of Scotland assumed 
their authority. 

Everything relating to the ceremony was hastily per-ss 
formed. A small circlet of gold was hurriedly made, to 
represent the ancient crown of Scotland, which Edward 
had carried off to England. The Earl of Fife, descend- 
ant of the brave Macduff, whose duty it was to have 
placed the crown on the king's head, would not give his 60 
attendance. But the ceremonial was performed by his 
sister, Isabella, Countess of Buchan,' though without the 
consent either of her brother or husband. A few barons, 
whose names ought to be dear to their country, joined 
Bruce in his attempt to vindicate the independence of 6s 
Scotland. 

Edward was dreadfully incensed when he heard that, 
after all the pains which he had taken and all the blood 
which had been spilled, the Scots were making this new 
attempt to shake off his authority. Though now old, 70 
' Bu'-clian {ch like k). 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. 9 

feeble, and sickly, he made a solemn vow, at a great fes- 
tival, in presence of all his court, that he would take the 
most ample vengeance upon Robert the Bruce and his 
adherents; after which he would never again draw his 
sword upon a Christian, but would only fight against the 7S 
unbelieving Saracens for the recovery of the Holy Land. 
He marched against Bruce accordingly, at the head of 
a powerful army. 

The commencement of Bruce's undertaking was most 
disastrous. He was crowned on the 29th March, 1306. 80 
On the 1 8th May he was excommunicated by the pope, 
on account of the murder of Comyn within consecrated 
ground, a sentence which excluded him from all the ben- 
efits of religion and authorized any one to kill him. 
Finally, on the 19th June, the new king was complete- 85 
ly defeated near Methven ' by the English Earl of Pem- 
broke. Robert's horse was killed under him in the 
action, and he was for a moment a prisoner. But he 
had fallen into the power of a Scottish knight, who, 
though he served in the English army, did not choose 90 
to be the instrument of putting Bruce into their hands, 
and allowed him to escape. The conquerors executed 
their prisoners with their usual cruelty. Among these 
were some gallant young men of the first Scottish fami- 
lies — Hay, ancestor of the Earls of Errol, Somerville, 95 
Eraser, and others, who were mercilessly put to death. 

Bruce, with a few brave adherents, among whom was 
the young Lord of Douglas, who was afterwards called 
the Good Lord James, retired into the Highland moun- 
tains, where they were chased from one place of refuge 100 
to another, often in great danger and suffering many 
hardships. The Bruce's wife, now Queen of Scotland, 
* Meth'-ven. 



lo TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

with several other ladies, accompanied her husband and 
his followers during their wanderings. There was no 
other way of providing for them save by hunting and 105 
fishing. It was remarked that Douglas was the most 
active and successful in procuring for the unfortunate 
ladies such supplies as his dexterity in fishing or in 
killing deer could furnish to them. 

Driven from one place in the Highlands to another, no 
starved out of some districts and forced from others by 
the opposition of the inhabitants, Bruce attempted to 
force his way into Lorn ; but he found enemies every- 
where. The M'Dougals, a powerful family, then called 
Lords of Lorn, were friendly to the English, and, putting 115 
their men in arms, attacked Bruce and his wandering 
companions as soon as they attempted to enter their 
territory. The chief of these M'Dougals, called John 
of Lorn, hated Bruce on account of his having slain the 
Red Comyn, to whom this M'Dougal was nearly related. 120 
Bruce was again defeated by this chief, through force of 
numbers, at a place called Dairy ; but he showed, amidst 
his misfortunes, the greatness of his strength and cour- 
age. He directed his men to retreat through a narrow 
pass, and, placing himself last of the party, he fought 125 
with and slew such of the enemy as attempted to press 
hard on them. Three followers of M'Dougal, a father 
and two sons, called M'Androsser,^ all very strong men, 
when they saw Bruce thus protecting the retreat of his 
followers, made a vow that they would either kill this 130 
redoubted^ champion or make him prisoner. The whole 
three rushed on the king at once. Bruce was on horse- 
back, in the strait pass we have described, betwixt a - 
precipitous rock and a deep lake. He struck the first 
^ M'An-dross'-er. ^ Formidable, 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. II 

man who came up and seized his horse's rein such a 135 
blow with his sword as cut off his hand and freed the 
bridle. The man bled to death. The other brother 
had grasped Bruce in the meantime by the leg and 
was attempting to throw him from horseback. The 
king, setting spurs to his horse, made the animal sud-140 
denly spring forward, so that the Highlander fell under 
the horse's feet ; and, as he was endeavoring to rise 
again, Bruce cleft his head in two with his sword. The 
father, seeing his two sons thus slain, flew desperately 
at the king and grasped him by the mantle so close to ms 
his body that he could not have room to wield his long 
sword. But with the heavy pommel of that weapon, or, 
as others say, with an iron hammer which hung at his 
saddle-bow, the king struck this third assailant so dread- 
ful a blow that he dashed out his brains. Still, however, 150 
the Highlander kept his dying grasp on the king's man- 
tle ; so that, to be free of the dead body, Bruce was 
obliged to undo the brooch, or clasp, by which it was 
fastened, and leave that and the mantle itself behind 
him. The brooch, which fell thus into the possession 155 
of M'Dougal of Lorn, is still preserved in that ancient 
family, as a memorial that the celebrated Robert Bruce 
once narrowly escaped falling into the hands of their 
ancestor. Robert greatly resented this attack upon him, 
and when he was in happier circumstances did not fail 160 
to take his revenge on M'Dougal, or, as he is usually 
called, John of Lorn. 

The king met with many such encounters amidst his 
dangerous and dismal wanderings; yet, though almost 
always defeated by the superior numbers of the English 165 
and of such Scots as sided with them, he still kept up 
his own spirits and those of his followers. He was a 



12 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

better scholar than was usual in those days, when, ex- 
cept clergymen, few people received much education. 
But King Robert had been well instructed in the learn- 17° 
ing of the times; and we are told that he sometimes 
read aloud to his companions, to amuse them when they 
were crossing the great Highland lakes in such wretched 
leaky boats as they could find for that purpose. Loch 
Lomond, in particular, is said to have witnessed such J75 
scenes. You may see by this how useful it is to possess 
knowledge and accomplishments. If Bruce could not 
have read to his associates and diverted their thoughts 
from their dangers and sufferings, he might not perhaps 
have been able to keep up their spirits or secure their 180 
continued attachment. 

At last dangers increased so much around the brave 
King Robert that he was obliged to separate himself 
from his queen and her ladies; for the winter was com- 
ing on, and it would be impossible for the women to en- 185 
dure this wandering sort of life when the frost and snow 
should set in. So Bruce left his queen with the Countess 
of Buchan and others in the only castle which remained 
to him, which was called Kildrummie,^ and is situated 
near the head of the River Don in Aberdeenshire. The 190 
king also left his youngest brother, NigeP Bruce, to de- 
fend the castle against the English ; and he himself, 
with his second brother Edward, who was a very brave 
man but still more rash and passionate than Robert 
himself, went over to an island called Rachrin,^ on the 195 
coast of Ireland, where Bruce and the few men that fol- 
lowed his fortunes passed the winter of 1306. In the 
meantime ill luck seemed to pursue all his friends in 
Scotland. The Castle of Kildrummie was taken by the 

* Kil-drum'-mie. '-^ Nl'-gel. ^ Rach'-rin {ch like k). 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. 13 

English, and Nigel Bruce, a beautiful and brave youth, 200 
was cruelly put to death by the victors. The ladies 
who had attended on Robert's queen, as well as the 
queen herself, and the Countess of Buchan, were thrown 
into strict confinement and treated with the utmost se- 
verity. 205 

The Countess of Buchan had given Edward great of- 
fence by being the person who placed the crown on the 
head of Robert Bruce. She was imprisoned within the 
Castle of Berwick,' in a cage made on purpose. Some 
Scottish authors have pretended that this cage was hung 210 
over the walls with the poor countess, like a parrot's cage 
out at a window. But this is their own ignorant idea. 
The cage of the Lady Buchan was a strong wooden and 
iron piece of framework, placed within an apartment, 
and resembling one of those places in which wild beasts 215 
are confined. There were such cages in most old prisons 
to which captives were consigned, who, either for mutiny 
or any other reason, were to be confined with peculiar 
rigor. 

The news of the taking of Kildrummie, the captivity 220 
of his wife, and the execution of his brother, reached 
Bruce while he was residing in a miserable dwelling at 
Rachrin, and reduced him to the point of despair. 

It was about this time that an incident took place 
which, although it rests only on tradition in families of 225 
the name of Bruce, is rendered probable by the manners 
of the times. After receiving the last unpleasing intel- 
ligence from Scotland, Bruce was lying one morning on 
his wretched bed, and deliberating with himself whether 
he had not better resign all thoughts of again attempt- 230 
ing to make good his right to the Scottish crown, and, 
' Pronounced Ber'-rick {er q.% m peril). 



14 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

dismissing his followers, transport himself and his broth- 
ers to the Holy Land and spend the rest of his life 
in fighting against the Saracens ; by which he thought, 
perhaps, he might deserve the forgiveness of Heaven for 235 
the great sin of stabbing Comyn in the church at Dum- 
fries. But then, on the other hand, he thought it would 
be both criminal and cowardly to give up his attempts 
to restore freedom to Scotland while there yet remained 
the least chance of his being successful in an undertak-240 
ing which, rightly considered, was much" more his duty 
than to drive the infidels out of Palestine, though the 
superstition of his age might think otherwise. 

While he was divided betwixt these reflections and 
doubtful of what he should do, Bruce was looking up- 245 
Vizard to the roof of the cabin in which he lay; and his 
eye was attracted by a spider, which, hanging at the end 
of a long thread of its own spinning, was endeavoring, as 
is the fashion of that creature, to swing itself from one 
beam in the roof to another, for the purpose of fixing 250 
the line on which it meant to stretch its web. The in- 
sect made the attempt again and again without success; 
and at length Bruce counted that it had tried to carry 
its point six times and been as often unable to do so. 
It came into his head that he had himself fought just 255 
six battles against the English and their allies, and that 
the poor persevering spider was exactly in the same sit- 
uation with himself, having made as many trials and been 
as often disappointed in what it aimed at. "Now," 
thought Bruce, " as I have no means of knowing what is 260 
best to be done, I will be guided by the luck which shall 
attend this spider. If the insect shall make another 
effort to fix its thread and shall be successful, I will 
venture a seventh time to try my fortune in Scotland; 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. jr 

but if the spider shall i\\\ I will go to the wars in Pal- 265 
estine, and never return to my native country more." 

While Bruce was forming this resolution, the spider 
made another exertion with all the force it could muster, 
and fairly succeeded in fastening its thread to the beam 
which it had so often in vain attempted to reach. Bruce, 270 
seeing the success of the spider, resolved to try his own 
fortune; and as he had never before gained a victory, 
so he never afterwards sustained any considerable or 
decisive check or defeat. 1 have often met with people 
of the name of Bruce so completely persuaded of the 275 
truth of this story that they would not on any account 
kill a spider ; because it was that insect which had 
shown the example of perseverance, and given a signal 
of good luck to their great namesake. 

Having determined to renew his efforts to obtain pos-280 
session of Scotland, notwithstanding the smallness of 
the means which he had for accomplishing so great a 
purpose, the Bruce removed himself and his followers 
from Rachrin to the Island of Arran, which lies in the 
mouth of the Clyde. The king landed, and inquired of 285 
the first woman he met what armed men were in the 
island. She returned for answer that there had arrived 
there very lately a body of armed strangers, who had 
defeated an English officer, the governor of the Castle 
of Brathwick, had killed him and most of his men, and 290 
were now amusing themselves with hunting about the 
island. The king, having caused himself to be guided 
to the woods which these strangers most frequented, 
there blew his horn repeatedly. Now, the chief of the 
strangers who had taken the castle was James Douglas, 295 
one of the best of Bruce's friends, and he was accom- 
panied by some of the bravest of that patriotic band. 



i6 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

When he heard Robert Bruce's horn, he knew the sound 
well and cried out that yonder was the king, he knew 
by his manner of blowing. So he and his companions 300 
hastened to meet King Robert, and there was great joy 
on both sides; whilst at the same time they could not 
help weeping when they considered their own forlorn 
condition, and the great loss that had taken place among 
theif friends since they had last parted. But they were 305 
stout-hearted men, and looked forward to freeing their 
country in spite of all that had yet happened. 

The Bruce was now within sight of Scotland, and not 
distant from his own family possessions, where the peo- 
ple were most likely to be attached to him. He began 3«> 
immediately to form plans with Douglas how they might 
best renew their enterprise against the English. The 
Douglas resolved to go disguised to his own country 
and raise his own followers, in order to begin their en- 
terprise by taking revenge on an English nobleman 315 
called Lord Clifford, upon whom Edward had conferred 
his estates, and who had taken up his residence in the 
Castle of Douglas. 

Bruce, on his part, opened a communication with the 
opposite coast of Carrick, by means of one of his follow- 320 
ers called Cuthbert. This person had directions that, if 
he should find the countrymen in Carrick disposed to 
take up arms against the English, he was to make a fire 
on a headland, or lofty cape, called Turnberry, on the 
coast of Ayrshire, opposite to the Island of Arran. The 3^5 
appearance of a fire on this place was to be a signal for 
Bruce to put to sea with such men as he had, who were 
not more than three hundred in number, for the purpose 
of landing in Carrick and joining the insurgents. 

Bruce and his men watched eagerly for the signal, but 330 



ROBERT TIJE BRUCE. 1 7 

for some time in vain. At length a fire on Turnberry- 
head became visible, and the king and his followers 
merrily betook themselves to their ships and galleys, 
concluding their Carrick friends were all in arms and 
ready to join with them. They landed on the beach at 335 
midnight, where they found their spy Cuthbert alone in 
waiting for them, with very bad news. Lord Percy, he 
said, was in the country, with two or three hundred Eng- 
lishmen, and had terrified the people so much, both by 
threats and actions, that none of them dared to think of 340 
rebelling against King Edward. 

"Traitor!" said Bruce, "why, then, did you make the 
signal?'* 

" Alas," replied Cuthbert, " the fire was not made by 
me, but by some other person, for what purpose I know 34s 
not; but as soon as I saw it burning I knew that you 
would come over, thinking it my signal, and therefore I 
came down to wait for you on the beach, to tell you 
how the matter stood." 

King Robert's first idea was to return to Arran after 350 
this disappointment, but his brother Edward refused to 
go back. "I will not leave my native land," he said, 
" now that I am so unexpectedly restored to it. I will 
give freedom to Scotland or leave my carcass on the 
surface of the land which gave me birth." 35s 

Bruce also, after some hesitation, determined that, 
since he had been thus brought to the mainland of Scot- 
land, he would remain there, and take such adventure 
and fortune as Heaven should send him. 

Accordingly, he began to skirmish with the English 360 
so successfully as obliged the Lord Percy to quit Carrick. 
Bruce then dispersed his men upon various adventures 
against the enemy, in which they were generally suc- 
2 



1 8 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

cessful. But then, on the other hand, the king, being 
left with small attendance or sometimes almost alone, 365 
ran great risk of losing his life by treachery or by open 
violence. 

At one time, a near relation of Bruce's, in whom he 
entirely confided, was induced by the bribes of rhe Eng- 
lish to attempt to put him to death. This villain, with 370 
his two sons, watched the king one morning till he saw 
him separated from all his men excepting a little boy 
who waited on him as a page. The father had a sword 
in his hand, one of the sons had a sword and a spear, 
the other had a sword and a battle-axe. Now, when 375 
the king saw them so well armed when there were no 
enemies near, he began to call to mind some hints which 
had been given to him that these men intended to mur- 
der him. He had no weapons except his sword, but 
his page had a bow and arrow. He took them both 380 
from the little boy, and bade him stand at a distance ; 
" For," said the king, " if I overcome these traitors, thou 
shalt have enough of weapons : but, if I am slain by 
them, you may make your escape and tell Douglas and 
my brother to revenge my death." The boy was very 385 
sorry, for he loved his master; but he was obliged to do 
as he was bidden. 

In the meantime the traitors came forward upon Bruce, 
that they might assault him at once. The king called 
out to them and commanded them to come no nearer, 390 
upon peril of their lives ; but the father answered with 
flattering words, pretending great kindness, and still 
continuing to approach his person. Then the king 
again called to them to stand. " Traitors," said he, "ye 
have sold my life for English gold ; but you shall die 395 
if you come one foot nearer to me." With that he bent 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. 19 

the page's bow; and, as the old conspirator continued 
to advance, he let the arrow fly at him. Bruce was an 
excellent archer ; he aimed his arrow so well that it hit 
the father in the eye, and penetrated from that into his 400 
brain, so that he fell down dead. Then the two sons 
rushed on the king. One of them fetched a blow at him 
with an axe, but missed his stroke and stumbled, so that 
the king with his great sword cut him down before he 
could recover his feet. The remaining traitor ran on 405 
Bruce with his spear; but the king, with a sweep of his 
sword, cut the steel head off the villain's weapon, and 
then killed him before he had time to draw his sword. 
Then the little page came running, very joyful of his 
master's victory; and the king wiped his bloody sword, 410 
and, looking upon the dead bodies, said, " These might 
have been reputed three gallant men if they could have 
resisted the temptation of covetousness." 

In the present day, it is not necessary that generals 
or great officers should fight with their own hand, be- 415 
cause it is only their duty to direct the movements and 
exertions of their followers. The artillery and the sol- 
diers shoot at the enemy; and men seldom mingle to- 
gether and fight hand to hand. But in ancient times 
kings and great lords were obliged to put themselves 420 
into the very front of the battle, and fight like ordinary 
men with the lance and other weapons. It was, there- 
fore, of great consequence that they should be strong 
men and dexterous in the use of their arms. Robert 
Bruce was so remarkably active and powerful that he 425 
came through a great many personal dangers, in which 
he must otherwise have been slain. 

After the death of these three traitors, Robert the 
Bruce continued to keep himself concealed in his own 



20 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

earldom of Carrick and in the neighboring county of 430 
Galloway, until he should have matters ready for a gen- 
eral attack upon the English. He was obliged, in the 
meantime, to keep very few men with him, both for the 
sake of secrecy and from the difficulty of finding pro- 
visions. Now, many of the people of Galloway were 435 
unfriendly to Bruce. They lived under the government 
of one M'Dougal, related to the Lord of Lorn, who had 
defeated Bruce at Dairy and very nearly killed or made 
him prisoner. These Galloway men had heard that 
Bruce was in their country, having no more than sixty 440 
men with him ; so they resolved to attack him by sur- 
prise, and for this purpose they got two hundred men 
together and brought with them two or three blood- 
hounds. These animals were trained to chase a man 
by the scent of his footsteps, as foxhounds chase a fox, 445 
or as beagles and harriers chase a hare. Although the 
dog does not see the person whose trace he is put upon, 
he follows him over every step he has taken. At that 
time these bloodhounds, or sleuthhounds' (so called from 
slot or skiit, a word which signifies the scent left by an 450 
animal of chase), were used for the purpose of pursuing 
great criminals. The men of Galloway thought them- 
selves secure, that if they missed taking Bruce or killing 
him at the first onset, and if he should escape into the 
woods, they would find him out by means of these blood- 455 
hounds. 

The good King Robert Bruce, who was always watch- 
ful and vigilant, had received some information of the 
.intention of this party to come upon him suddenly and 
by night. Accordingly, he quartered his little troop of 460 
sixty men on the side of a deep and swift-running river, 
' Sleuth'-hounds {cu like ;?). 



ROBERT THE BRUCE, 21 

that had very steep and rocky banks. There was but 
one ford by which this river could be crossed in that 
neighborhood, and that ford was deep and narrow, so 
that two men could scarcely get through abreast; the 46s 
ground on which they were to land on the side where 
the king was, was steep, and the path which led upwards 
from the water's edge to the top of the bank extremely 
narrow and difficult. 

Bruce caused his men to lie down to take some sleep, 470 
at a place about half a mile distant from the river, while 
he himself with two attendants went down to watch the 
ford, through which the enemy must needs pass before 
they could come to the place where King Robert's men 
were lying. He stood for some time looking at the 475 
ford, and thinking how easily the enemy might be kept 
from passing there, providing it was bravely defended, 
when he heard at a distance the baying of a hound, 
which was always coming nearer and nearer. This was 
the bloodhound which was tracing the king's steps to 480 
the ford where he had crossed, and the two hundred 
Galloway men were along with the animal and guided 
by it. Bruce at first thought of going back to awaken 
his men ; but then he reflected that it might be only 
some shepherd's dog. *' My men," he said, " are sorely 485 
tired ; I will not disturb their sleep for the yelping of a 
cur, till I know something more of the matter." So he 
stood and listened; and by and by, as the cry of the 
hound came nearer, he began to hear a trampling of 
horses, and the voices of men, and the ringing and clat- 49° 
tering of armor, and then he was sure the enemy were 
coming to the river-side. Then the king thought, " If I 
go back to give my men the alarm, these Galloway men 
will get through the ford without opposition ; and that 



2 2 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

would be a pity, since it is a place so advantageous to 495 
make defence against them." So he looked again at 
the steep path and the deep river, and he thought that 
they gave him so much advantage that he himself could 
defend the passage with his own hand until his men 
came to assist him. His armor was so good and strong 500 
that he had no fear of arrows, and therefore the combat 
was not so very unequal as it must have otherwise been. 
He therefore sent his followers to waken his men, and 
remained alone by the bank of the river. 

In the meanwhile, the noise and trampling of the io<, 
horses increased ; and, the moon being bright, Bruce be- 
held the glancing arms of about two hundred men, who 
came down to the opposite bank of the river. The men 
of Galloway, on their part, saw but one solitary figure 
guarding the ford, and the foremost of them plunged 510 
into the river without minding him. But as they could 
only pass the ford one by one, the Bruce, who stood high 
above them on the bank where they were to land, killed 
the foremost man with a thrust of his long spear, and 
with a second thrust stabbed the horse, which fell down, 515 
kicking and plunging in his agonies, on the narrow path, 
and so prevented the others who were following from 
getting out of the river. Bruce had thus an opportunity 
of dealing his blows at pleasure among them, while they 
could not strike at him again. In the confusion, five or 52° 
six of the enemy were slain, or, having been borne down 
the current, were drowned in the river. The rest were 
terrified and drew back. 

But when the Galloway men looked again, and saw 
they were opposed by only one man, they themselves 525 
being so many, they cried out that their honor would 
be lost forever if they did not force their way, and en- 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. 23 

couraged each other with loud cries to plunge through 
and assault him. But by this time the king's soldiers 
came up to his assistance, and the Galloway men re- 530 
treated and gave up their enterprise. 

About the time when the Bruce was yet at the head 
of but few men, Sir Aymer de Valence,' who was Earl 
of Pembroke, together with John of Lorn, came into 
Galloway, each of them being at the head of a large 535 
body of men. John of Lorn had a bloodhound with 
him, which it was said had formerly belonged to Robert 
Bruce himself; and, having been fed by the king with 
his own hands, it became attached to him and would 
follow his footsteps anywhere, as dogs are well known 540 
to trace their master's steps, whether they be blood- 
hounds or not. By means of this hound John of Lorn 
thought he should certainly find out Bruce and take re- 
venge on him for the death of his relation Comyn. 

When these two armies advanced upon King Robert, 54s 
he at first thought of fighting with the English earl; but, 
becoming aware that John of Lorn was moving round 
with another large body to attack him in the rear, he 
resolved to avoid fighting at that time, lest he should be 
oppressed by numbers. For this purpose, the king di-sso 
vided the men he had with him into three bodies, and 
commanded them to retreat by three different ways, 
thinking the enemy would not know which party to pur- 
sue. He also appointed a place at which they were to 
assemble again. But when John of Lorn came to the 555 
place where the army of Bruce had been thus divided, 
the bloodhound took his course after one of these divis- 
ions, neglecting the other two, and then John of Lorn 
knew that the king must be in that party; so he also 
' Ay'-mer de Val'-ence {Ay like a, and de as in tinder). 



24 



TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 



made no pursuit after the two other divisions of the 560 
Scots, but followed that which the dog pointed out with 
all his men. 

The king again saw that he was followed by a large 
body, and, being determined to escape from them if pos- 
sible, he made all the people who were with him dis-56s 
perse themselves in different ways, thinking thus that the 
enemy must needs lose trace of him. He kept only one 
man along with him, and that was his own foster-brother, 
or the son of his nurse. When John of Lorn came to 
the place where Bruce's companions had dispersed them- 570 
selves, the bloodhound, after it had snuffed up and down 
for a little, quitted the footsteps of all the other fugitives, 
and ran barking upon the track of two men out of the 
whole number. Then John of Lorn knew that one of 
these two must needs be King Robert. Accordingly 575 
he commanded five of his men that were speedy of foot 
to follow hard, and either make him prisoner or slay 
him. The Highlanders started off accordingly, and ran 
so fast that they gained sight of Robert and his foster- 
brother. The king asked his companion what help he 580 
could give him, and his foster-brother answered he was 
ready to do his best. So these two turned on the five 
men of John of Lorn, and killed them all. It is to be 
supposed they were better armed than the others were, 
as well as stronger and more desperate. 585 

But by this time Bruce was very much fatigued, and 
yet they dared not sit down to take any rest; for when- 
ever they stopped for an instant they heard the cry of 
the bloodhound behind them, and knew by that that their 
enemies were coming up fast after them. At length 590 
they came to a wood, through which ran a small river. 
Then Bruce said to his foster-brother, " Let us wade 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. 



25 



down this stream for a great way, instead of going straight 
across, and so this unhappy hound will lose the scent; 
for if we were once clear of him I should not be afraid 59s 
of getting away from the pursuers." Accordingly the 
king and his attendant walked a great way down the 
stream, taking care to keep their feet in the water, which 
could not retain any scent where they had stepped. 
Then they came ashore on the farther side from the en- 600 
emy, and went deep into the wood before they stopped 
to rest themselves. In the meanwhile, the hound led 
John of Lorn straight to the place where the king went 
into the water, but there the dog began to be puzzled, 
not knowing where to go next; for you are well aware 605 
that the running water could not retain the scent of a 
man's foot, like that which remains on turf. So John 
of Lorn, seeing the dog was at fault, as it is called, that 
is, had lost the track of what he pursued, gave up the 
chase and returned to join with Aymer de Valence. 610 

But King Robert's adventures were not yet ended. 
His foster-brother and he had rested themselves in the 
wood, but they had got no food and were become ex- 
tremely hungry. They walked on, however, in hopes of 
coming to some habitation. At length, in the midst of 615 
the forest, they met with three men who looked like 
thieves or ruffians. They were well armed, and one of 
them bore a sheep on his back, which it seemed as if 
they had just stolen. They saluted the king civilly; and 
he, replying to their salutation, asked them where they 620 
were going. The men answered they were seeking for 
Robert Bruce, for that they intended to join with him. 
The king answered that if they would go with him, he 
would conduct them where they would find the Scottish 
king. Then the man who had spoken changed cour)te-625 



26 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

nance, and Bruce, who looked sharply at him, began to 
suspect that the ruffian guessed who he was, and that 
he and his companions had some design against his 
person, in order to gain the reward which had been of- 
fered for his life. 630 

So he said to them, " My good friends, as we are not 
well acquainted with each other, you must go before us, 
and we will follow near to you." 

" You have no occasion to suspect any harm from us," 
answered the man. 635 

"Neither do I suspect any," said Bruce; "but this is 
the way in which I choose to travel." 

The men did as he commanded, and thus they trav- 
elled till they came together to a waste and ruinous 
cottage, where the men proposed to dress some part- of 640 
the sheep which their companion was carrying. The 
king was glad to hear of food ; but he insisted that 
there should be two fires kindled, one for himself and 
his foster-brother at one end of the house, the other at 
the other end for their three companions. The n-; en 645 
did as he desired. They broiled a quarter of mutton 
for themselves, and gave another to the king and his at- 
tendant. 

They were obliged to eat it without bread or salt ; but, 
as they were very hungry, they were glad to get food in 650 
any shape and partook of it very heartily. 

Then so heavy a drowsiness fell on King Robert that, 
for all the danger he was in, he could not resist an in- 
clination to sleep. But first he desired his foster-brother 
to watch while he slept, for he had great suspicion of 655 
their new acquaintances. His foster-brother promised 
to keep awake, and did his best to keep his word. But 
the king had not been long asleep ere his foster-brother 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. 27 

fell into a deep slumber also, for he had undergone as 
much fatigue as the king. When the three villains saw 660 
the king and his attendant asleep, they made signs to 
each other and, rising up at once, drew their swords with 
the purpose to kill them both. But the king slept but 
lightly, and for as little noise as the traitors made in 
rising, he was awakened by it, and starting up drew his 665 
sword and went to meet them. At the same moment 
he pushed his foster-brother with his foot, to awaken 
him, and he got on his feet ; but, ere he got his eyes 
cleared to see what was about to happen, one of the 
ruffians that were advancing to slay the king killed him 670 
with a stroke of his sword. The king was now alone, 
one man against three, and in the greatest danger of his 
life ; but his amazing strength, and the good armor which 
he wore, freed him once more from this great peril, and 
he killed the three men, one after another. He then 675 
left the cottage, very sorrowful for the death of his faith- 
ful foster-brother, and took his direction towards the 
place where he had appointed his men to assemble after 
their dispersion. It was now near night, and, the place 
of meeting being a farm-house, he went boldly into it, 680 
where he found the mistress, an old true-hearted Scots- 
woman, sitting alone. Upon seeing a stranger enter, she 
asked him who and what he was. The king answered 
that he was a traveller, who was journeying through the 
country. 685 

" All travellers," answered the good woman, " are wel- 
come here, for the sake of one." 

" And who is that one," said the king, " for whose sake 
you make all travellers welcome ?" 

" It is our rightful king, Robert the Bruce," answered 690 
the mistress, " who is the lawful lord of this country ; 



28 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

and although he is now pursued and hunted after with 
hounds and horns, I hope to live to see him king over 
all Scotland." 

"Since you love him so well, dame," said the king, 695 
"know that you see him before you. I am Robert the 
Bruce." 

" You !" said the good woman, in great surprise ; 
" and wherefore are you thus alone ? Where are all 
your men .<'" 700 

"I have none with me at this moment," answered 
Bruce, " and therefore I must travel alone." 

" But that shall not be," said the brave old dame, 
"for I have two stout sons, gallant and trusty men, 
who shall be your servants for life and death." 705 

So she brought her two sons, and though she well 
knew the dangers to which she exposed them she made 
them swear fidelity to the king, and they afterwards 
became high officers in his service. 

Now the loyal old woman was getting everything 710 
ready for the king's supper, when suddenly there was a 
great trampling of horses heard round the house. They 
thought it must be some of the English, or John of Lorn's 
men, and the good wife called upon her sons to fight to 
the last for King Robert. But shortly after they heard 715 
the voice of the Good Lord James of Douglas, and of 
Edward Bruce, the king's brother, who had come with 
a hundred and fifty horsemen to this farm-house, accord- 
ing to the instructions that the king had left with them 
at parting. 720 

Robert the Bruce was right joyful to meet his brother 
and his faithful friend Lord James, and had no sooner 
found himself once more at the head of such a consid- 
erable body of followers than, forgetting hunger and 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. 



29 



weariness, he began to inquire where the enemy who 725 
had pursued them so long had taken up their abode for 
the night; "for," said he, "as they must suppose us to- 
tally scattered and fled, it is likely that they will think 
themselves quite secure, and disperse themselves into 
distant quarters and keep careless watch." 73^ 

" That is very true," answered James of Douglas, " for 
I passed a village where there are two hundred of them 
quartered, who had placed no sentinels; and if you have 
a mind to make haste we may surprise them this very 
night and do them more mischief than they have been 735 
able to do us during all this day's chase." 

Then there was nothing but mount and ride ; and as 
the Scots came by surprise on the body of English whom 
Douglas had mentioned, and rushed suddenly into the 
village where they were quartered, they easily dispersed 740 
and cut them to pieces; thus, as Douglas had said, doing 
their pursuers more injury than they themselves had re- 
ceived during the long and severe pursuit of the pre- 
ceding day. 

The consequence of these successes of King Robert 745 
was that soldiers came to join him on all sides, and that 
he obtained several victories both over Sir Aymer de 
Valence, Lord Clifford, and other English commanders ; 
until at length the English were afraid to venture into 
the open country as formerly, unless when they could 75° 
assemble themselves in considerable bodies. They 
thought it safer to lie still in the towns and castles 
which they had garrisoned and wait till the king of Eng- 
land should once more come to their assistance with a 
powerful army. 755 



THE TAKING OF THREE CASTLES. 

By Sir Walter Scott. 

While Robert Bruce was gradually getting possession 
of the country and driving out the English, Edinburgh, 
the principal town of Scotland, remained, with its strong 
castle, in possession of the invaders. Sir Thomas Ran- 
dolph was extremely desirous to gain this important 5 
place; but the castle is situated on a very steep and 
lofty rock, so that it is difficult or almost impossible even 
to get up to the foot of the walls, much more to climb 
over them. 

So while Randolph was considering what was to be 10 
done, there came to him a Scottish gentleman named 
Francis, who had joined Bruce's standard, and asked to 
speak with him in private. He then told Randolph 
that in his youth he had lived in the Castle of Edin- 
burgh, and that his father had then been keeper of the 15 
fortress. It happened at that time that Francis was 
much in love with a lady, who lived in a part of the town 
beneath the castle, which is called the Grassmarket. 
Now, as he could not get out of the castle by day to see 
his mistress, he had practised a way of clambering by 20 
night down the castle rock on the south side and re- 
turning at his pleasure. When he came to the foot of the 
wall, he made use of a ladder to get over it, as it was 
not very high at that point, those who built it having 
trusted to the steepness of the crag; and, for the same 25 



32 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

reason, no watch was placed there. Francis had gone 
and come so frequently in this dangerous manner that, 
though it was now long ago, he told Randolph he knew 
the road so well that he would undertake to guide a 
small party of men by night to the bottom of the wall; 30 
and, as they might bring ladders with them, there would 
be no difficulty in scaling it. The great risk was that 
of their being discovered by the watchmen while in the 
act of ascending the cliff, in which case every man of 
them must have perished. 35 

Nevertheless, Randolph did not hesitate to attempt 
the adventure. He took with him only thirty men (you 
may be sure they were chosen for activity and courage), 
and came one dark night to the foot of the rock, which 
they began to ascend under the guidance of Francis, 40 
who went before them upon his hands and feet, up one 
cliff, down another, and round another, where there was 
scarce room to support themselves. All the while, these 
thirty men were obliged to follow in a line, one after the 
other, by a path that was fitter for a cat than a man. 45 
The noise of a stone falling, or a word spoken from one 
to another, would have alarmed the watchmen. They 
were obliged, therefore, to move with the greatest pre- 
caution. When they were far up the crag, and near the 
foundation of the wall, they heard the guards going their 50 
rounds, to see that all was safe in and about the castle. 
Randolph and his party had nothing for it but to lie 
close and quiet each man under the crag, as he hap- 
pened to be placed, and trust that the guards would 
pass by without noticing them. And while they were 55 
waiting in breathless alarm they got a new cause of 
fright. One of the soldiers of the castle, willing to startle 
his comrades, suddenly threw a stone from the wall, and 



THE TAKING OF THREE CASTLES. 33 

cried out, " Aha, I see you well !" The stone came thun- 
dering down over the heads of Randolph and his men, 60 
who naturally thought themselves discovered. If they 
had stirred or made the slightest noise, they would have 
been entirely destroyed ; for the soldiers above might 
have killed every man of them, merely by rolling down 
stones. But being courageous and chosen men they 65 
remained quiet, and the English soldiers, who thought 
their comrade was merely playing them a trick (as, in- 
deed, he had no other meaning in what he did and said), 
passed on without further examination. 

Then Randolph and his men got up and came in 7° 
haste to the foot of the wall, which was not above twice 
a man's height in that place. They planted the ladders 
they had brought, and Francis mounted first to show 
them the way ; Sir Andrew Grey, a brave knight, followed 
him, and Randolph himself was the third man who got 75 
over. Then the rest followed. When once they were 
within the walls, there was not so much to do, for the 
garrison were asleep and unarmed, excepting the watch, 
who were speedily destroyed. Thus w^as Edinburgh 
Castle taken in March, 1312-13. 80 

There was a strong castle near Linlithgow,' or Lith- 
gow, as the word is more generally pronounced, where 
an English governor, with a powerful garrison, lay in 
readiness to support the English cause, and used to ex- 
ercise much severity upon the Scots in the neighbor- 85 
hood. There lived at no great distance from this strong- 
hold a farmer, a bold and stout man, whose name was 
Binnock, or, as it is now pronounced. Binning. This 
man saw w^ith great joy the progress which the Scots 
were making in recovering their country from the Eng-90 
' Lin-lith'-gow {pw as 6). 

3 



34 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

lish, and resolved to do something to help his country- 
men, by getting possession, if it were possible, of the 
Castle of Lithgow. But the place was very strong, 
situated by the side of a lake, defended not only by 
gates, which were usually kept shut against strangers, 95 
but also by a portcullis. A portcullis is a sort of door 
formed of cross-bars of iron, like a grate. It has not 
hinges like a door, but is drawn up by pulleys, and let 
down when any danger approaches. It may be let go 
in a moment, and then falls down into the doorway ; and 100 
as it has great iron spikes at the bottom, it crushes all 
that it lights upon; thus in case of a sudden alarm a 
portcullis may be let suddenly fall to defend the en- 
trance when it is not possible to shut the gates. Bin- 
nock knew this very well, but he resolved to be provided 105 
against this risk also when he attempted to surprise the 
castle. So he spoke with some bold, courageous coun- 
trymen, and engaged therfi in his enterprise, which he 
accomplished thus. 

Binnock had been accustomed to supply the garrison no 
of Linlithgow with hay, and he had been ordered by the 
English governor to furnish some cart-loads, of which 
they were in want. He promised to bring it accord- 
ingly ; but the night before he drove the hay to the cas- 
tle he stationed a party of his friends, as well armed as "S 
possible, near the entrance, where they could not be 
seen by the garrison, and gave them directions that they 
should come to his assistance as soon as they should 
hear his signal, which was to be — "Call all, call all!" 
Then he loaded a great wagon with hay. But in the 120 
wagon he placed eight strong men, well armed, lying flat 
on their breasts and covered over with hay, so that they 
could not be seen. He himself walked carelessly beside 



THE TAKING OF THREE CASTLES. 



35 



the wagon ; and he chose the stoutest and bravest of his 
servants to be the driver, who carried at his belt a strong 125 
axe or hatchet. In this way Binnock approached the 
castle early in the morning; and the watchman, who 
only saw two men, Binnock being one of them, with a 
cart of hay, which they expected, opened the gates and 
raised up the portcullis to permit them to enter the 130 
castle. But as soon as the cart had got under the gate- 
way, Binnock made a sign to his servant, who with his 
axe suddenly cut asunder the saom, that is, the yoke 
which fastens the horses to the cart, and the horses, 
finding themselves free, naturally started forward, the cart 135 
remaining behind under the arch of the gate. At the 
same moment, Binnock cried as loud as he could, " Call 
all, call all !" and drawing the sword which he had un- 
der his country habit he killed the porter. The armed 
men then jumped up from under the hay where they 140 
lay concealed and rushed on the English guard. The 
Englishmen tried to shut the gates, but they could not, 
because the cart of hay remained in the gateway and 
prevented the folding -doors from being closed. The 
portcullis was also let fall, but the grating was caught 145 
on the cart and so could not drop to the ground. The 
men who were in ambush near the gate, hearing the 
signal agreed on, ran to assist those who had leaped out 
from amongst the hay; the castle was taken, and all 
the Englishmen killed or made prisoners. King Rob- 150 
ert rewarded Binnock by bestowing on him an estate, 
which his posterity long afterwards enjoyed. 

Roxburgh ' was then a very large castle, situated near 
where two fine rivers, the Tweed and the Teviot,^ join 
each other. Being within five or six miles of England, 155 

' Pronounced in Scotland as if Rox'-bor-o'. ^ Tev'-i-ot, 



36 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

the English were extremely desirous of retaining it, and 
the Scots equally eager to obtain possession of it. 

It was upon the night of what is called Shrovetide, a 
holiday which Roman Catholics paid great respect to, 
and solemnized with much gayety and feasting. Most i6a 
of the garrison of Roxburgh Castle were drinking and 
carousing, but still they had set watches on the battle- 
ments of the castle, in case of any sudden attack ; for, 
as the Scots had succeeded in so many enterprises of 
the kind, and as Douglas was known to be in the neigh- 165 
borhood, they conceived themselves obliged to keep a 
very strict guard. 

An Englishwoman, the wife of one of the officers, was 
sitting on the battlements with her child in her arms ; 
and looking out on the fields below she saw some black 170 
objects, like a herd of cattle, straggling near the foot of 
the wall and approaching the ditch or moat of the cas- 
tle. She pointed them out to the sentinel and asked 
him what they were. " Pooh, pooh," said the soldier, 
"it is farmer such a one's cattle" (naming a man whose 175 
farm lay near to the castle) ; " the good man is keeping 
a jolly Shrovetide, and has forgot to shut up his bullocks 
in their yard; but, if the Douglas come across them be- 
fore morning, he is likely to rue his negligence." Now 
these creeping objects which they saw from the castle 180 
wall were no real cattle, but Douglas himself and his 
soldiers, who had put black cloaks above their armor 
and were creeping about on hands and feet, in order, 
without being observed, to get so near to the foot of the 
castle wall as to be able to set ladders to it. The poor 185 
woman, who knew nothing of this, sat quietly on the 
wall and began to sing to her child. The name of 
Douglas had become so terrible to the English that the 



THE TAKING OF THREE CASTLES. 37 

women used to frighten their children with it, and say 
to them when they behaved ill that they " would make 19° 
the Black Douglas take them." And this soldier's wife 
was singing to her child, 

" Hush ye, hush ye, little pet ye, 
Hush ye, hush ye, do not fret ye, 
The Black Douglas shall not get ye." "95 

"You are not so sure of that," said a voice close be- 
side her. She felt at the same time a heavy hand, with 
an iron glove, laid on her shoulder, and when she looked 
round she saw the very Black Douglas she had been 
singing about standing close beside her, a tall, swarthy, 200 
strong man. At the same time, another Scotsman was 
seen ascending the walls, near to the sentinel. The sol- 
dier gave the alarm and rushed at the Scotsman, whose 
name was Simon Ledehouse, with his lance; but Simon 
parried the stroke and, closing with the sentinel, struck 205 
him a deadly blow with his dagger. The rest of the 
Scots followed up to assist Douglas and Ledehouse, and 
the castle was taken. Many of the soldiers were put to 
death, but Douglas protected the woman and the child. 
I dare say she made no more songs about the Black 210 




OLD SCOTTISH DAGGER. 



DOUGLAS AND THE HEART OF ROBERT 
BRUCE. 

By Sir Walter Scott. 

Douglas caused a case of silver to be made, into 
which he put the Bruce's heart, and wore it around his 
neck by a string of silk and gold. And he set forward 
for the Holy Land with a gallant train of the bravest 
men in Scotland, who, to show their value and sorrow s 
for their brave King Robert Bruce, resolved to attend 
his heart to the city of Jerusalem. It had been much 
better for Scotland if the Douglas and his companions 
had stayed at home to defend their own country, which 
was shortly afterwards in great want of their assist- lo 
ance. 

Neither did Douglas ever get to the end of his journey. 
In going to Palestine he landed in Spain, where the 
Saracen king, or sultan of Grenada,^ called Osmyn,' was 
invading the realms of Alphonso, the Spanish king of 15 
Castile. King Alphonso received Douglas with great 
honor and distinction, and people came from all parts 
to see the great soldier, whose fame was well known 
through every part of the Christian world. King Al- 
phonso easily persuaded the Scottish earl that he would 20 
do good service to the Christian cause by assisting him 
to drive back the Saracens of Grenada, before proceed- 
ing on his voyage to Jerusalem. Lord Douglas and his 

' Gre-na'-da (first a like ah). " Pronounced Oz'-mln. 



DOUGLAS AND THE HEART OF BRUCE. 



39 



followers went accordingly to a great battle against Os- 
myn, and had little difficulty in defeating the Saracens 25 
who were opposed to them. But, being ignorant of the 
mode of fighting among the cavalry of the East, the 
Scots pursued the chase too far, and the Moors, when 
they saw them scattered and separated from each other, 
turned suddenly back, with a loud cry of Allah illah 30 
Allah I^ which is their shout of battle, and surrounded 
such of the Scottish knights and squires as had advanced 
too hastily and were dispersed from each other. 

In this new skirmish Douglas saw Sir William St. 
Clair of Roslyn'^ fighting desperately, surrounded by 35 
many Moors, who were hewing at him with their sabres. 
"Yonder worthy knight will be slain," Douglas said, 
"unless he have instant help." With that he galloped 
to his rescue, but presently was himself also surrounded 
by many Moors. When he found the enemy press so 4° 
thick round him as to leave him no chance of escaping, 
the earl took from his neck the Bruce's heart, and 
speaking to it, as he would have done to the king had 
he been alive, — "Pass first in fight," he said, "as thou 
wert wont to do, and Douglas will follow thee or die." 45 
He then threw the king's heart amon^ the enemy and, 
rushing forward to the place where it fell, was there 
slain. His body was found lying above the silver case, 
as if it had been his last object to defend the Bruce's 
heart. 5° 

This good Lord James of Douglas was one of the 
best and wisest soldiers that ever drew a sword. He 
was said to have fought in seventy battles, being beaten 
in thirteen and victorious in fifty-seven. He was tall, 
strong, and well made, of a swarthy complexion, with ss 
' See Notes. " Ros-Iyn (^ like z). 



40 



TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 



dark hair, from which he was called the Black Doug- 
las. He lisped a little in his speech, but in a manner 
which became him very much. Notwithstanding the 
many battles in which he had fought, his f^ice had es- 
caped without a wound. A brave Spanish knight at 60 
the court of King Alphonso, whose face was scarred by 
the marks of Moorish sabres, expressed wonder that 
Douglas's countenance should be unmarked with wounds. 
Douglas replied modestly he thanked God, who had 
always enabled his hands to guard and protect his 65 
face. 

Many of Douglas's followers were slain in the bat- 
tle in which he himself fell. The rest resolved not 
to proceed on their journey to Palestine, but to return 
to Scotland. Since the time of the good Lord James, 70 
the Douglases have carried upon their shields a bloody 
heart with a crown upon it, in memory of this ex- 
pedition of Lord James to Spain with the Bruce's 
heart. 

Such of the Scottish knights as remained alive re- 75 
turned to their own country. They brought back the 
heart of the Bruce and the bones of the good Lord 
James. These last were interred in the church of St. 
Bride, where Thomas Dickson and Douglas held so ter- 
rible a Palm Sunday. The Bruce's heart was buried 80 
below the high altar in Melrose Abbey. As for his 
body, it was laid in the sepulchre in the midst of the 
church of Dunfermline, under a marble stone. But the 
church becoming afterwards ruinous, and the roof falling 
down with ago, the monument was broken to pieces, and 85 
nobody could tell where it stood. But when they were 
repairing the church at Dunfermline [in 1818] and re- 
moving the rubbish, lo ! they found fragments of the 



42 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

marble tomb of Robert Bruce. Then they began to 
dig farther, thinking to discover the body of this cele- 90 
brated monarch ; and at length they came to the skele- 
ton of a tall man, and they knew it must be that of King 
Robert, both as he was known to have been buried in a 
winding-sheet of cloth of gold, of which many fragments 
were found about this skeleton, and also because the 95 
breast-bone appeared to have been sawed through in 
order to take out the heart. Orders were sent from the 
King's Court of Exchequer to guard the bones carefully 
until a new tomb should be prepared, into which they 
were laid with profound respect. A great many gentle- 100 
men and ladies attended, and almost all the common 
folks in the neighborhood ; and as the church could not 
hold half the numbers the people were allowed to pass 
through it, one after another, that each one, the poorest 
as well as the richest, might see all that remained of 105 
the great King Robert Bruce, who restored the Scottish 
monarchy. Many people shed tears; for there was the 
wasted skull which once was the head that thought so 
wisely and boldly for his country's deliverance; and 
there was the dry bone which had once been the sturdy no 
arm that killed Sir Henry de Bohun, between the two 
a-rmies, at a single blow, on the evening before the battle 
of Bannockburn. 

It is more than five hundred years since the body of 
Bruce was first laid into the tomb ; and how many, many 115 
millions of men have died since that time whose bones 
could not be recognized nor their names known, any 
more than those of inferior animals! It was a great 
thing to see that the wisdom, courage, and patriotism 
of a king could preserve him for such a long time in 120 
the memory of the people over whom he once reigned. 



DOUGLAS AND THE HEART OF BRUCE. 43 

But it is only desirable to be remembered for praise- 
worthy and patriotic actions, such as those of Robert 
Bruce. It would be better for a prince to be forgotten 
like the meanest peasant than to be recollected for ac- 125 
tions of tyranny or oppression. 




SEAL OF MELROSE ABBEY. 



THE HEART OF THE BRUCE. 
By William Edmondstoune Aytoun. 

It was upon an April morn, 

While yet the frost lay hoar, 
We heard Lord James's bugle-horn 

Sound by the rocky shore. 

Then down we went, a hundred knights, 5 

All in our dark array, 
And Hung our armor in the ships 

That rode within the bay. 

We spoke not as the shore grew less, 

But gazed in silence back, xo 

Where tlie long billows swept away 

The foam behind our track. 

And aye the purple hues decayed 

Upon the fading hill. 
And but one heart in all that ship 15 

\\'as tranquil, cold, and still. 

The good Lord Douglas paced the deck — 

O, but his face was wan ! 
Unlike the flush it used to wear 

When in the battle-van. ao 

"Come hither, I pray, my trusty knight. 

Sir Simon of the Lee ; 
There is a freit* lies near my soul 
I needs must tell to thee. 
' Superstitious notion, presentiment (prouounceil f/wt). 



THE HEART OE THE BRUCE. 45 

"Thou know'st the words King Robert spoke 25 

Upon his dying day: 
How he bade me take his noble heart 

And carry it far away, 

"And hiy it in the holy soil 

Where once the Saviour trod, 30 

Since he might not bear the blessed Cross 

Nor strike one blow for God. 

"Last night as in my bed I lay, 

I dreamed a dreary dream : 
Methought 1 saw a Pilgrim stand 35 

In the moonlight's quivering beam. 

"His robe was of the azure dye, 

Snow-white his scattered hairs, 
And even such a cross he bore 

As good Saint Andrew bears. 40 

"'Why go ye forth, Lord James,' he said, 

'With spear and belted brand.?' 
Why do you take its dearest pledge 

From this our Scottish land } 

" ' The sultry breeze of Galilee 45 

Creeps through its groves of palm, 
The olives on the Holy Mount 

Stand glittering in the calm. 

" ' But 't is not there that Scotland's heart 

Shall rest by God's decree, 5° 

Till the great angel calls the dead 
To rise from earth and sea ! 

' Sword. 



46 TALES FROM SCOTTISH JIISTOKY. 

" ' Lord James of Douglas, mark my rede ! * 

That heart shall pass once more 
In fiery fight against the foe, 5S 

As it was wont of yore. 

" 'And it shall pass beneath the Cross 

And save King Robert's vow ; 
But other hands shall bear it back, 

Not, James of Douglas, thou !' 60 

"Now, by thy knightly faith, I pray, 

Sir Simon of the Lee, — 
For truer friend had never man 

Than thou hast been to me, — 

" If ne'er upon the Holy Land 65 

'T is mine in life to tread, 
Bear thou to Scotland's kindly earth 

The relics of her dead." 



70 



The tear was in Sir Simon's eye 

As he wrung the warrior's hand — 
" Betide me weal,''' betide me woe, 

I '11 hold by thy command. 

*' But if in battle-front. Lord James, 

'T is ours once more to ride, 
Nor force of man, nor craft of fiend, 75 

Shall cleave me from thy side !" 

And aye we sailed and aye we sailed 

Across the weary sea, 
Until one morn the coast of Spain 

Rose grimly on our lee. 

Counsel, advice. ^ If y;ood befall me, or happen to me. 



THE HEART OF THE BRUCE. 47 

And as we rounded to the port, 

Beneath the watch-tower's wall, 
We heard the clash of the atabals,' 

And the trumpet's wavering call. 

" Why sounds yon Eastern music here 85 

So wantonly and long, 
And whose the crowd of armbd men 

That round yon standard throng?" 

"The Moors have come from Africa 

To spoil and waste and slay, 90 

And King Alonzo of Castile 

Must fight with them to-day." 

"Now shame it were," cried good Lord James, 

" Shall never be said of me 
That I and mine have turned aside 95 

From the Cross in jeopardie! 

" Have down,^ have down, my merry men all — 

Have down unto the plain ; 
We '11 let the Scottish lion loose 

Within the fields of Spain !" ,00 

" Now welcome to me, noble lord, 

Thou and thy stalwart power; 
Dear is the sight of a Christian knight, 

Who comes in such an hour! 

" Is it for bond or faith you come, ,05 

Or yet for golden fee ? 
Or bring ye France's lilies here, 

Or the flower of Burgundie ?'* 

At'-a-bals ; Moorish drums. '■* Go clown. 



,jS I'Al.l'.S FROM SCOl'TISll HIS ION Y. 

"God greet (lifc well, llu)U valiant kinj;, 

Tiice and thy hrllcil peers; jio 

Sir James of Doiii^las am 1 called, 
And these are Scottish sjieais. 

"We do not fight for bond or plight,' 

Nor yet for golden fee ; 
I>iit lor the sake of our blesscnl ].oril, us 

Who died upon the tree. 

"We bring our great King Robert's heart 

Across the weltering wave, 
To lay it in the holy soil 

llaicl by the Saviour's grave. "o 

"'iVue pilgrims we, by land or sea, 

Where danger bars the way; 
And therefore are we here, lord king, 

'1\> ride with thei^ this dav!" 

The king has bent his stately head, "S 

And the tears wcmc in his eyne," — 
"(lOil's blessing on thet\ noble knight, 

i''or this brave thought ("iS, thine! 

" 1 kntnv thy name full well, Lord James; 

And houiMcd mav 1 be. i,<o 

That llu^se who fought besiile the Hruce 

Should light this day for me! 

"T.d<e tlu>u the leading of the van, 

And chaige the INfoors amain;* 
There is n^^t such a lance as thine 135 

In all the host o{ Spain !" 

' rUnliH". " l-ycs. » With foivo. or vi.;v>r. 



THE JlEAKr OF THE liKHCE. 

The Douglas turned towards us then ; 

O, but his glance was high! — 
"There is not one of all my men 

lUU is as frank as I. 

"There is not one of all my knights 

Ikit bears as true a spear; 
Then onward, Scottish gentlemen, 

Ami think King Robert 's here!" 

The truinj)ets blow, the cross bolts ' Hew, 

The arrows Hashed like llame, 
As spur in side, and spear in rest, 

Against the* foe we came. 

And many a bcanled Saracen 

^V^ent down, both horse and man ; 

I'or through their ranks we rode like corn. 
So furiously we ran ! 

r>ut in beiiind our path they closed, 

Though fain to let us through; 
For they were forty thousand men, 

And we were wondrous few. 

We might not see a lance's length, 

So dense was their array, 
But the long fell sweep of the Scottish blade 

Still held them hard at bay. 

"Make in!' make in!" Lord Douglas cried - 

" Make in, my brethren dear ! 
Sir William of Saint Clair is down ; 

We may not leave him here!" 

' Ctoss-1)ovv ;irrovv.s. ■-' Rush in. 

4 



49 



'55 



50 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

But thicker, thicker grew the swarm, 163 

And sharper shot the rain, 
And the horses reared amid the press, 

But they would not charge again. 

"Now Jesu help thee," said Lord James, 

"Thou kind and true Saint Clair! 170 

An' if I may not bring thee off, 
I'll die beside thee there !" 

Then in his stirrups up he stood. 

So lion-like and bold. 
And held the precious heart aloft 175 

All in its case of gold. 

He flung it from him far ahead, 

And never spake he more 
But — " Pass thee first, thou dauntless heart, 

As thou wert wont of yore !" 180 

The roar of fight rose fiercer yet. 

And heavier still the stour,* 
Till the spears of Spain came shivering in. 

And swept away the Moor. 

" Now praised be God, the day is won ! 185 

They fly o'er flood and fell !'— 
Why dost thou draw the rein so hard, 

Good knight, that fought so well .'"' 

"O, ride ye on, lord king!" he said, 

" And leave the dead to me, 190 

For I must keep the dreariest watch 

That ever I shall dree ! ^ 

* Battle (pronounced stoor). ' Hill. ' Bear, endure. 



THE HEART OF THE BRUCE. 51 

" There lies, above his master's heart, 

The Douglas, stark and grim ; 
And woe that I am living man, 19s 

Not lying there by him ! 

" The world grows cold, my arm is old, 

And thin my lyart ' hair; 
And all that I loved best on earth 

Is stretched before me there. 200 

"O Bothwell banks, that bloom so bright 

Beneath the sun of May, 
The heaviest cloud that ever blew 

Is bound for you this day ! 

" And, Scotland, thou mayst vail thy head 205 

In sorrow and in pain! 
The sorest stroke upon thy brow 

Hath fallen this day in Spain ! 

"We'll bear them back unto our ship. 

We'll bear them o'er the sea, 210 

And lay them in the hallowed earth 

Within our own countrie. 

" And be thou strong of heart, lord king, 

For this I tell thee sure. 
The sod that drank the Douglas' blood 215 

Shall never bear the Moor!" 

The king he lighted from his horse. 

He flung his brand away. 
And took the Douglas by the hand, 

So stately as he lay. 230 

' Gray (pronounced If -art). 



52 



TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

" God give thee rest, thou valiant soul, 
That fought so well for Spain! 

I 'd rather half my land were gone, 
So thou wcrt here again !" 

We lifted thence the good Lord James 
And the priceless heart he bore, 

And heavily we steered our ship 
Towards the Scottish shore. 

No welcome greeted our return, 

Nor clang of martial tread, 
But all were dumb and hushed as death 

Before the mighty dead. 

We laid our chief in Douglas Kirk, 

The heart in fair Melrose; 
And woful men were we that day — 

God grant their souls repose ! 



230 



235 



-^^im 




THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN. 

By Sir Walter Scott. 

The Scotti,sh nobles had determined upon an invasion 
of England on a large scale, and had assembled a great 
army for that purpose; but, learning that the people of 
Northumberland were raising an army on the eastern 
frontier, they resolved to limit their incursion to that s 
which might be achieved by the Earl of Douglas, with a 
chosen band of four or five thousand men. With this 
force he penetrated into the mountainous frontier of 
England, where an assault was least expected, and, is- 
suing forth near Newcastle, fell upon the flat and rich lo 
country around, slaying, plundering, burning, and load- 
ing his army with spoil. 

Percy, Earl of Northumberland, an English noble of 
great power, and with whom the Douglas had frequently 
had encounters, sent his two sons, Sir Henry and Sins 
Ralph Percy, to stop the progress of this invasion. Both 
were gallant knights; but the first, who from his impet- 
uosity was called Hotspur, was one of the most distin- 
guished warriors in England, as Douglas was in Scotland. 
The brothers threw themselves hastily into Newcastle, 20 
to defend that important town ; and as Douglas, in an 
insulting manner, drew up his followers before the walls, 
they came out to skirmish with the Scots. Douglas and 
Henry Percy encountered personally ; and it so chanced 
that Douglas in the struggle got possession of Hotspur's 25 



54 



TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY, 



spear, to the end of which was attached a small orna- 
ment of silk, embroidered with pearls, on which was 
represented a lion, the cognizance, as it is called, of the 
Percys. Douglas shook his trophy aloft, and declared 
that he would carry it into Scotland and plant it on 30 
his castle of Dalkeith/ 

"That," said Percy, "shalt thou never do. I will re- 
gain my lance ere thou canst get back into Scotland." 

"Then," said Douglas, "come to seek it, and thou 
shalt find it before my tent." 35 

The Scottish army, having completed the purpose of 
their expedition, began their retreat up the vale of the 
little river Reed, which afforded a tolerable road run- 
ning northwestward towards their own frontier. They 
encamped at Otterburn, about twenty miles from the 40 
Scottish border, on the 19th of August, 1388. 

In the middle of the night the alarm arose in the 
Scottish camp that the English host were coming upon 
them, and the moonlight showed the approach of Sir 
Henry Percy, with a body of men superior in number 45 
to that of Douglas. He had already crossed the Reed 
water, and was advancing towards the left flank of the 
Scottish army. Douglas, not choosing to receive the 
assault in that position, drew his men out of the camp, 
and, with a degree of military skill which could scarce 50 
have been expected when his forces were of such an 
undisciplined character, he altogether changed the posi- 
tion of the army and presented his troops with their 
front to the advancing English. 

Hotspur, in the meantime, marched his- squadrons 55 
through the deserted camp, where there were none left 
but a few servants and stragglers of the army. The in- 
' Dal-keith' [ei as e). 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN. 



55 



terriiptions which the English troops met with threw 
them a little into disorder when the moon arising showed 
them the Scottish army, which they had supposed to be 60 
retreating, drawn up in complete order and prepared to 
fight. The battle commenced with the greatest fury ; 
for Percy and Douglas were the two most distinguished 
soldiers of their time, and each army trusted in the 
courage and talents of their commanders, whose names 65 
were shouted on either side. The Scots, who were out- 
numbered, were at length about to give way, when Doug- 
las their leader caused his banner to advance, attended 
by his best men. He himself, shouting his war-cry of 
" Douglas !" rushed forward, clearing his way with the 70 
blows of his battle-axe and breaking into the very thick- 
est of the enemy. He fell, at length, under three mortal 
wounds. Had his death been observed by the enemy, 
the event would probably have decided the battle against 
the Scots; but the English only knew that some brave 75 
man-at-arms had fallen. Meantime the other Scottish 
nobles pressed forward, and found their general dying 
among several of his faithful esquires and pages, who 
lay slain around. A stout priest, called William of North 
Berwick, the chaplain of Douglas, was protecting the 80 
body of his wounded patron with a long lance. 

" How fares it, cousin ?" said Sinclair, the first Scot- 
tish knight who came up to the expiring leader. 

" Indifferently," answered Douglas ; " but blessed be 
God, my ancestors have died on fields of battle, not on 85 
down beds. I sink fast; but let them still cry my war- 
cry and conceal my death from my followers. There 
was a tradition in our family that a dead Douglas should 
win a field, and I trust it will be this day accomplished." 

The nobles did as he had enjoined; they concealed 90 



56 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

the earl's body and again rushed on to the battle, shout- 
ing " Douglas ! Douglas !" louder than before. The 
English were weakened by the loss of the brave broth- 
ers, Henry and Ralph Percy, both of whom were made 
prisoners, fighting most gallantly, and almost no man of 95 
note amongst the English escaped death or captivity. 
Hence a Scottish poet has said of the name of Douglas, 

" Hosts have been known at that dread sound to yield. 
And, Douglas dead, his name hath won the field." 

Sir Henry Percy became the prisoner of Sir Hugh 100 
Montgomery, who obliged him for ransom to build a 
castle for him at Penoon* in Ayrshire. The battle of 
Otterburn was disastrous to the leaders on both sides, 
Percy being made captive and Douglas slain on the 
field. It has been the subject of many songs and poems, ^os 
and the great historian Froissart'' says that, one other 
action only excepted, it was the best-fought battle of 
that warlike time. 

* Fen-oon'. ^ Frois'-sart. See Notes. 




THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE. 
From Scott's "Border Minstrelsy." 

It fell about the Lammas tide/ 
When the muir-men^ win their hay, 

The doughty^ Douglas bound him to ride 
Into England to drive a prey. 

He chose the Gordons and the Graemes/ 
With them the Lindesays/ light and gay; 

But the Jardines® would not with him ride, 
And they rue it to this day. 

And he has burned the dales of Tyne, 

And part of Bambrough shire; 
And three good towers on Reidswire' fells," 

He left them all on fire. 

And he marched up to Newcastle, 

And rode it round about; 
" O, wha 's the lord of this castle, 

Or wha 's the lady o 't?" — 

But up spake proud Lord Percy then, 

And O, but he spake high! 
" I am the lord of this castle, 

My wife 's the lady gay." — 



^ Lammas-day, August ist. 2 Moor-men. 

^ Brave, valiant. •* Pronounced Grames, 

^ Pronounced Lin'-zes. ® Jar'-dines. '' Reed'-swire. 

« HiUs. 



58 TALES FJWM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

^''M thou 'it the lord of this castle, 

Sac weel ' it pleases me ! 
For, ere I cross the IJorder fells, 

The tane*^ of us shall die." — 

He took a lang spear in his hand, =5 

Shod with the metal free, 
And for to meet the Douglas there 

He rode right furiouslie. 
But O, how pale his lady looked, 

Frae aff '' the castle wa',* 30 

When down before the Scottish spear 

She saw proud Percy fa' ! * 
" Had we twa been upon the green, 

And never an eye to see, 
I wad" hae had you, flesh and fell,' 35 

But your sword sail " gae wi' me. — • 
" But gae ye up to Otterbourne, 

And wait there dayis" three; 
And if I come not ere three dayis end 

A fause'° knight ca'" ye me." — ^o 

"The Otterbourne 's a bonnie burn;'* 

'T is pleasant there to be ; 
But there is nought at Otterbourne, 

To feed my men and me. 
"The deer rins'^ wild on hill and dale, ^5 

The birds fly wild from tree to tree; 
But there is neither bread nor kale '* 

To fend'" my men and me. 

» From off. * Wall. 

« Shall. » Days. 

A pretty brook, or rivulet. 
" Support, feed. 



» So veil. 


'^ One. See lYott-s. 


6 Fall. 


« Would. ' Hide. 


'" False. 


" Call. "^ 


'' Runs. 


'^ Broth, soup. 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE. 59 

"Yet I will stay at Otterbourne, 

Where you shall welcome be; 50 

And if ye come not at three dayis end 

A fause lord I '11 ca' thee." — 

"Thither will I come," proud Percy said, 

"By the might of Our Ladye!" 
"There will I bide' thee," said the Douglas, ss 

" My troth I plight to thee." 

They lighted high on Otterbourne, 

Upon the bent'' sae brown; 
They lighted high on Otterbourne, 

And threw their pallions" down. 60 

And he that had a bonnie boy 

Sent out his horse to grass ; 
And he that had not a bonnie boy. 

His ain servant he was. 

But up then spake a little page, 65 

Before the peep of dawn — 
" O, waken ye, waken ye, my good lord. 

For Percy 's hard at hand !" — 

"Ye lie, ye lie, ye liar loud ! 

Sae loud I hear ye lie ; 70 

For Percy had not men yestreen 

To dight* my men and me. 

" But I have dreamed a dreary dream 

Beyond the Isle of Sky; 
I saw a dead man win a fight, n 

And I think that man was I." 

> Wait for. « Field, heath. s Pavilions, tents. 

* Dispose of, encounter. 



6o TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY, 

He belted on his guid braid ' sword, 

And to the field he ran ; 
But he forgot the helmet good 

That should have kept his brain. 80 

When Percy wi' the Douglas met, 

I wat^ he was fu' fain.^ 
They swakked* their swords till sair' they swat," 

And the blood ran down like rain. 

But Percy with his good broad sword, 85 

That could so sharply wound, 
Has wounded Douglas on the brow, 

Till he fell to the ground. 

Then he called on his little foot-page. 

And said, " Run speedilie, 90 

And fetch my ain dear sister's son. 

Sir Hugh Montgomery." 

" My nephew good," the Douglas said, 

"What recks' the death of ane?* 
Last night I dreamed a dreary dream, 95 

And I ken " the day 's thy ain. 

" My wound is deep ; I fain would sleep ; 

Take thou the vanguard of the three, 
And hide me by the bracken " bush, 

That grows on yonder lily lee/* 100 

" O, bury me by the bracken bush. 

Beneath the blooming brier ! 
Let never living mortal ken 

That e'er a kindly Scot lies here.'* 



• Broad. 


' Wot, know. 


" Glad. 


♦ Struck. 


' Sore, much. 


• Sweat. 


T Matters. 


«One. 


' Know. 


10 Brake. 




" Lea. field. 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE. 6i 

He lifted up that noble lord, los 

Wi' the saut* tear in his e'e; 
He hid him in the bracken bush, 

That his merrie-men might not see. 

The moon was clear, the day drew neai, 

The spears in flinders^ flew, "o 

But mony a gallant Englishman 
Ere day the Scotsmen slew. 

The Gordons good, in English blood 

They steeped their hose and shoon ; 
The Lindesays flew like fire about »i5 

Till all the fray was done. 

The Percy and Montgomery met, 

That either of other were fiiin ; 
They swapped ^ swords, and they twa swat, 

And aye the blood ran down between. «2o 

"Now yield thee, yield thee, Percy," he said, 

"Or else I vow I '11 lay thee low!" 
"To whom must I yield," quoth Lord Percy, 

"Now that I see it must be so?" 

"Thou shalt not yield to lord nor loun,^ 125 

Nor yet shalt thou yield to me; 
But yield thee to the bracken bush 

That grows upon yon lily lee !" 

" I will not yield to a bracken bush, 

Nor yet will I yield to a brier; 130 

But I would yield to Earl Douglas, 

Or Sir Hugh the Montgomery, if he were here." 

' Salt. ' Si)linteis. " Struck. * Loon, clown. 



62 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

As soon as he knew it was Sir Hugh 

He struck his sword's point in the gronde;* 

The Montgomery was a courteous knight, 
And quickly took him by the honde.'^ 

This deed was done at the Otterbourne 

About the breaking of the day; 
Earl Douglas was buried at the bracken bush, 

And the Percy led captive away. 

* Ground. ' Hand. 




SCOTTISH TAKGKT AND SWORDS. 



THE BATTLE OF FLODDEN. 
By Sir Walter Scott. 

In June or July, 15 13, Henry VIH. sailed to France 
with a gallant army, where he formed the siege of Ter- 
ouenne.' James IV. now took a decided step. He sent 
over his principal herald to the camp of King Henry 
before Terouenne, summoning him in haughty terms to 5 
abstain from aggressions against James's ally, the King 
of France. Henry VIII. answered this letter, which he 
justly considered as a declaration of war, with equal bit- 
terness, treating the King of Scots as a perjured man, 
because he was about to break the peace which he had 10 
solemnly sworn to observe. His summons he rejected 
with scorn. "The King of Scotland was not," he said, 
"of sufficient importance to determine the quarrel be- 
tween England and France." The Scottish herald re- 
turned with this message, but not in time to find his 15 
master alive. 

James had not awaited the return of his embassy to 
commence hostilities. Lord Home, his lord high cham- 
berlain, had made an incursion into England with an 
army of about three or four thousand men. They col- 20 
lected great booty, but, marching carelessly and without 
order, fell into an ambush of the English Borderers, 
concealed among the tall broom, by which Miilfield 
plain, near Wooler, was then covered. The Scots sus- 
' Tronounced Ter-00-cn' (t /- as \n peril). 



64 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

tainecl a total defeat, and lost near a third of their num-25 
bers in slain and wounded. This was a bad commence- 
ment of the war. 

Meanwhile James, contrary to the advice of his wisest 
counsellors, determined to invade England with a royal 
army. The Parliament were unwilling to go into the 30 
king's measures. The tranquillity of the country, ever 
since the peace with England, was recollected; and, as 
the impolitic claim of the supremacy seemed to be 
abandoned, little remained to stir up the old animosity 
between the kingdoms. The king, however, was per- 35 
sonally so much liked that he obtained the consent of 
the Parliament to this f^ital and unjust war; and orders 
were given to assemble all the array of the kingdom of 
Scotland upon the ]>orough-moor of Edinburgh, a wide 
common, in the midst of which the royal standard was 40 
displayed from a large stone, or fragment of rock, called 
the Harestone. 

He was so well beloved that he soon assembled a 
great army, and, placing himself at their head, he en- 
tered England near the castle of Twisell ' on the 22d45 
of August, 1 5 13. Instead, however, of advancing with 
his army upon the country of England, he lay idle on 
the frontier. The Earl of Surrey, that same noble and 
gallant knight who had formerly escorted Queen Mar- 
garet to Scotland, now advanced at the head of an army 50 
of twenty-six thousand men. The earl was joined by 
his son Thomas, the lord high admiral, with a large 
body of soldiers who had been disembarked at New- 
castle. As the warlike inhabitants of the northern 
counties gathered fast to Surrey's standard, so, on the 55 
other hand, the Scots began to return home in great 
' Twis'-ell. 



THE BA TTLE OF FLODDEN. 65 

numbers; because, though accordiug to the feudal laws 
each man had brought with him provisions for forty 
days, these being now nearly expended, a scarcity began 
to be felt in James's host. Others went home to place 60 
their booty in safely. 

Surrey, feeling himself the stronger party, became de- 
sirous to provoke the Scottish king to fight. He there- 
fore sent James a message, defying him to battle ; and 
the Lord Thomas Howard, at the same time, added a 65 
message that as King James had often complained of 
the death of Andrew Barton, he. Lord Thomas, by whom 
that deed was done, was now ready to maintain it with 
his sword in the front of the fight. James returned for 
answer that to meet the English in battle was so much 70 
his wish that had the message of the earl found him at 
Edinburgh he would have laid aside all other business 
to have met him on a pitched field. 

But the Scottish nobles entertained a very different 
opinion from their king. They held a council, at which 75 
Lord Patrick Lindsay was made president, or chancel- 
lor. This was the same person who, in the beginning 
of the king's reign, had pleaded so well for his brother, 
to whose titles and estate he afterwards succeeded. He 
opened the discussion by telling the council a parable 80 
of a rich merchant who would needs go to play at dice 
with a common hazarder, or sharper, and stake a rose- 
noble* of gold against a crooked halfpenny. "You, my 
lords," he said, " will be as unwise as the merchant if 
you risk your king, whom I compare to a precious rose- 85 
noble, against the English general, who is but an old 
crooked churl, lying in a chariot. Though the Eng- 
lish lose the day, they lose nothing but this old churl 
' A coin. See Notes. 

5 



66 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

and a parcel of mechanics ; whereas so many of our 
common people have gone home that few are left with 9° 
us but the prime of our nobility." He therefore gave it 
as his advice that the king should withdraw from the 
army, for safety of his person, and that some brave no- 
bleman should be named by the council to command 
in the action. The council agreed to recommend this 95 
plan to the king. 

But James, who desired to gain fame by his own mil- 
itary skill and prowess, suddenly broke in on the coun- 
cil, and told them, with much heat, that they should not 
put such a disgrace upon him. "I will fight with the 100 
English," he said, "though you had all sworn the con- 
trary. You may shame yourselves by flight, but you shall 
not shame me ; and as for Lord Patrick Lindsay, who 
has got the first vote, 1 vow that when I return to Scot- 
land I will cause him to be hanged over his own gate." 105 

The Scottish army had fixed their camp upon a hill 
called Flodden, which rises to close in, as it were, the 
extensive flat called Millfield plain. This eminence 
slopes steeply towards the plain, and there is an ex- 
tended piece of level ground on the top, where the Scots "o 
might have drawn up their army and awaited at great 
advantage the attack of the English. Surrey liked the 
idea of venturing an assault on that position so ill that 
he resolved to try whether he could not prevail on the 
king to abandon it. He sent a herald to invite James "s 
to come down from the height and join battle in the 
open plain of Millfield below, reminded him of the 
readiness with which he had accepted his former chal- 
lenge, and hinted that it was the opinion of the Eng- 
lish chivalry assembled for battle that any delay of the i^^o 
encounter would sound to the king's dishonor. 



THE BATTLE OF FLO D DEN. 67 

James was sufficiently rash and imprudent, but his 
impetuosity did not reach to the pitch Surrey perhaps 
expected. He refused to receive the messenger into 
his presence, and returned for answer that it was not 125 
such a message as it became an earl to send to a king. 

Surrey, therefore, distressed for provisions, was obliged 
to resort to another mode of bringing the Scots to ac- 
tion. He moved northward, sweeping round the hill of 
Flodden, keeping out of the reach of the Scottish artil- 130 
lery, until, crossing the Till near Twisell Castle, he placed 
himself, with his whole army, betwixt James and his own 
kingdom. The king suffered him to make this flank 
movement without interruption, though it must have af- 
forded repeated and advantageous opportunities for at- 135 
tack. But when he saw the English army interposed 
betwixt him and his dominions he became alarmed lest 
he should be cut off from Scotland. In this apprehen- 
sion he was confirmed by one Giles Musgrave, an Eng- 
lishman, whose counsel he used upon the occasion, and u^ 
who assured him that if he did not descend and fight 
with the English army the Earl of Surrey would enter 
Scotland and lay waste the whole country. Stimulated 
by this apprehension, the king resolved to give signal 
for the fatal battle. ms 

With this view the Scots set fire to their huts and the 
other refuse and litter of their camp. The smoke spread 
along the side of the hill, and under its cover the army 
of King James descended the eminence, which is much 
less steep on the northern than the southern side, while 150 
the English advanced to meet them, both concealed 
from each other by the clouds of smoke. 

The Scots descended in four strong columns, all 
marching parallel to each other, having a reserve of the 



68 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

Lothian men commanded by Earl Bothwell. The Eng-155 
lish were also divided into four bodies, with a reserve 
of cavalry led by Dacre/ 

The battle commenced at the hour of four in the 
afternoon. The first which encountered was the left 
wing of the Scots, commanded by the Earl of Huntly 160 
and Lord Home, which overpowered and threw into 
disorder the right wing of the English, under Sir Ed- 
mund Howard. Sir Edmund was beaten down, his 
standard taken, and he himself in danger of instant 
death, when he was relieved by the Bastard Heron, ^ who 165 
came up at the head of a band of determined outlaws 
like himself and extricated Howard. It is alleged 
against Lord Home by many Scottish writers that he 
ought to have improved his advantage by hastening to 
the support of the next division of the Scottish army. 170 
It is even pretended that he replied to those who urged 
him to go to the assistance of the king that "the man did 
well that day who stood and saved himself" But this 
seems invented, partly to criminate Home, and partly 
to account for the loss of the battle in some other way 175 
than by the superiority of the English. In reality, the 
English cavalry, under Dacre, which acted as a reserve, 
appear to have kept the victors in check; while Thomas 
Howard, the lord high admiral, who commanded the sec- 
ond division of the English, bore down and routed the iSo 
Scottish division commanded by Crawford and Mont- 
rose, who were both slain. Thus matters went on the 
Scottish left. 

Upon the extreme right of James's army a division 
of Highlanders, consisting of the clans of MacKenzie, 185 
MacLean, and others, commanded by the Earls of Len- 

' Pronounced Da'-ker. ^ John Heron, a Border chief. 



THE BA TTLE OF FLO D DEN. 



69 



nox and Argyle, were so insufferably annoyed by the 
volleys of the English arrows that they broke their 
ranks and, in despite of the cries, entreaties, and signals 
of De la Motte,' the French ambassador, who endeavored 190 
to stop them, rushed tumultuously down hill, and, being 
attacked at once in flank and rear by Sir Edward Stan- 
ley, with the men of Cheshire and Lancashire, were 
routed with great slaughter. 

The only Scottish division which remains to be men- 19s 
tioned was commanded by James in person, and con- 
sisted of the choicest of his nobles and gentry, whose 
armor was so good that the arrows made but slight im- 
pression upon them. They were all on foot — the king 
himself had parted with his horse. They engaged the 2op 
Earl of Surrey, who opposed to them the division which 
he personally commanded. The Scots attacked with 
the greatest fury, and, for a time, had the better. Sur- 
rey's squadrons were disordered, his standard in great 
danger, Bothwell and the Scottish reserve were advanc- 205 
ing, and the English seemed in some risk of losing the 
battle. But Stanley, who had defeated the Highlanders, 
came up on one flank of the king's division; the admi- 
ral, who had conquered Crawford and Montrose," as- 
sailed them on the other. The Scots showed the most 210 
undaunted courage. Uniting themselves with the re- 
serve under Bothwell, they formed into a circle, with 
their spears extended on every side, and fought obsti- 
nately. Bows being now useless, the English advanced 
on all sides with their bills, a huge weapon which made 215 
ghastly wounds. But they could not force the Scots 
either to break or retire, although the carnage among 

' Pronounced De {e as in ho^ lah Mot. 
' Mont-rose' (j like z). 



70 



TALES FROM SC0T7VSII I//S7VKY. 



them was dreadful. James himself died amid his war- 
like peers and loyal gentry. He was twice wounded 
with arrows, and at length despatched with a bill. Night 220 
fell without the battle being absolutely decided, for the 
Scottish centre kept their ground, and Home and Da- 
cre held each other at bay. But during the night the 
remainder of the Scottish army drew off in silent de- 
spair from the bloody field, on which they left their king 225 
and the flower of his nobility. 

This great and decisive victory was gained by the 
Earl of Surrey on the 9th of September, 15 13. The victors 
had about five thousand men slain, the Scots twice that 
number at least. But the loss lay not so much in the 230 
number of the slain as in their rank and quality. The 
English lost very few men of distinction. The Scots 
left on the field the king, two bishops, two mitred ab- 
bots, twelve earls, thirteen lords, and five eldest sons 
of peers. The number of gentlemen slain was beyond 235 
calculation — there is scarcely a family of name in Scot- 
tish history who did not lose a relative there. 

Such was the end of that king once so proud and 
powerful. The fatal battle of Flodden, in which he 
was slain and his army destroyed, is justly considered 240 
as one of the most calamitous events in Scottish history. 
# * * # * 

Edinburgh, the metropolis, or capital city, of Scotland, 
set a noble example of the conduct which should be 
adopted under a great national calamity. The provost, 245 
bailies, and magistracy of that city had been carried by 
their duty to the battle, in which most of them, with the 
burghers and citizens who followed their standard, had 
fallen with the king. A certain number of persons 
called Jyt'sii/t7//s\ at the head of whom was George Towrs25o 



THE BATTLE OF FLO D DEN. 71 

of Inverleith/ had been left with a commission to dis- 
charge the duty of magistrates during the absence of 
those to whom the office actually belonged. The battle 
was fought, as we have said, on the 9th of September. 
On the loth, being the succeeding day, the news reached =55 
Edinburgh, and George Towrs and the other presidents 
published on that day a proclamation, which would do 
honor to the annals of any country in luirope. The 
presidents must have known that all was lost; but they 
took every necessary precaution to prevent the public 260 
from yielding to a hasty and panic alarm, and to pre- 
pare with firmness the means of public defence. 

" Whereas," says this remarkable proclamation, " news 
have arrived, which are yet uncertain, of misfortune which 
hath befallen the king and his army, we strictly com- 265 
mand and charge all persons within the city to have 
their arms in readiness, and to be ready to assemble at 
the tolling of the common bell of the town, to repel any 
enemy who may seek to attack the city. We also dis- 
charge all women of the lower class, and vagabonds of 270 
every description, from appearing on the street to cry 
and make lamentations; and we command women of 
honest fame and character to pass to the churches, and 
pray for the king and his army, and for our neighbors 
who are with the king's host." In this way the gallant =75 
George Towrs took measures at once for preventing the 
spreading of terror and confusion by frantic and useless 
lamentation, and for defence of the city, if need should 
arise. The simplicity of the order showed the courage 
and firmness of those who issued it, under the astound- 280 
ing national calamity which had been sustained. 

The Earl of Surrey did not, however, make any en- 
' In-ver-leith' {ci like i'). 



72 



TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 



deavor to invade Scotland, or to take any advantage of 
the great victory he liad obtained, by attempting the 
conquest of that country. Experience had taught the 285 
English that, though it might be easy for them to over- 
run their northern neighbors, to ravage provinces, and 
to take castles and cities, yet that the obstinate valor 
of the Scots and their love of independence had always, 
in the long run, found means of expelling the invaders. 290 
With great moderation and wisdom, Henry, or his min- 
isters, therefore, resolved rather to conciliate the friend- 
ship of the Scots, by foregoing the immediate advan- 
tages which the victory of Flodden afforded them, than 
to commence another invasion, which, however distress- 295 
ing to Scotland, was likely, as in the Bruce and Baliol 
wars, to terminate in ihe English also sustaining great 
loss and ultimately being again driven out of the king- 
dom. The English counsellors remembered that Mar- 
garet, the widow of James, was the sister of the King of 300 
England — that she must become regent of the kingdom, 
and would naturally be a friend to her native country. 
They knew that the late war had been undertaken by 
the King of Scotland against the wish of his people; 
and with noble as well as wise policy they endeavored 305 
rather to render Scotland once more a friendly power 
than, by invasion and violence, to convert her into an 
irreconcilable enemy. 




HIGHLAND DIKH. 



EDINBURGH AFTER FLODDEN. 

By William Edmondstoune Aytoun. 

News of battle ! news of battle ! 

Hark! 't is ringing down the street; 
And the archways and the pavement 

Bear the clang of hurrying feet. 
News of battle! who hath broLif>ht it? 

News of triumph! who should bring 
Tidings from our noble army, 

Greetings from our gallant king? 
All last night we watched the beacons 

Blazing on the hills afar, 
Each one bearing, as it kindled, 

Message of the opened war. 
All night long the northern streamers 

Shot across the trembling sky; 
Fearful lights that never beckon 

Save when kings or heroes die. 

News of battle! who hath brought it? 

All are thronging to the gate; 
"Warder' — warder! open quickly! 

Man — is this a time to wait?" 
And the heavy gates are opened ; 

Then a murmur long and loud, 
And a cry of fear and wonder 

Bursts from out the bending crowd. 
' Gatc-kccpcr. 



74 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

For they see in battered harness' 25 

Only one hard-stricken man; 
And his weary steed is wounded, 

And his cheek is pale and wan : 
Spearless hangs a bloody banner 

In his weak and drooping hand — 3° 

God! can that be Randolph Murray, 

Captain of the city band? 

Round him crush the people, crying, 

"Tell us all — O, tell us true! 
Where are they who went to battle, 35 

Randolph Murray, sworn to you? 
Where are they, our brothers — children? 

Have they met the ICnglish foe? 
Why art thou alone, unfollowed? 

Is it weal or is it woe ?" 40 

Like a corpse the grisly'' warrior 

Looks from out his helm of steel ; 
lUit no word he speaks in answer — 

Only with his armbd heel 
Chides his weary steed, and onward 45 

Up the city streets they ride, — 
Fathers, sisters, mothers, children. 

Shrieking, praying, by his side. 
" By the God that made thee, Randolph, 

Tell us what mischance hath come!" 50 

Then he lifts his riven banner, 

And the asker's voice is dumb. 

The elders of the city 

Have met within their hall — 
The men whom good King James had charged ss 
To watch the tower and wall. 
' Armor. * Fritihtful. 




God! can that be Randolph Murray, 
Captain of the city band?" 



76 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

"Your hands are weak with age," he said, 

" Your hearts are stout and true ; 
So bide' ye in the Maiden Town, 

While others fight for you. 60 

My trumpet from the Border-side 

Shall send a blast so clear 
That all who wait within the gate 

That stirring sound may hear. 
Or, if it be the will of Heaven 65 

That back I never come, 
And if, instead of Scottish shouts, 

Ye hear the English drum, — 
Then let the warning bells ring out, 

Then gird you to the fray, 70 

Then man the walls like burghers '^ stout, 

And fight while fight you may. 
'Twere better that in fiery flame 

The roofs should thunder down 
Than that the foot of foreign foe 75 

Should trample in the town !" 

Then in came Randolph Murray, — 

His step was slow and weak. 
And, as he doffed^ his dinted helm, 

The tears ran down his cheek: 80 

They fell upon his corslet^ 

And on his mailed hand, 
As he gazed around him wistfully. 

Leaning sorely on his brand ; 
And none who then beheld him 85 

But straight were smote with fear, 

' Abide, remain. ^ Citizens. 

^ Took off. 4 Body armor. 



EDINBURGH AFTER FLODDEN. 7^ 

For a bolder and a sterner man 

Had never couched ' a spear. 
They knew so sad a messenger 

Some ghastly news must bring \ 90 

And all of them were fathers, 

And their sons were with the king. 

And up then rose the provost^ — 

A brave old man was he, 
Of ancient name, and knightly fame, 95 

And chivalrous degree. 
He ruled our city like a lord 

Who brooked^ no equal here, 
And ever for the townsman's rights 

Stood up 'gainst prince and peer. 100 

And he had seen the Scottish host 

March from the Borough-moor, 
With music-storm and clamorous shout, 
And all the din that thunders out 

When youth 's of victory sure ; 105 

But yet a dearer thought had he, — 

For, with a father's pride, 
He saw his last remaining son 

Go forth by Randolph's side, 
With casque* on head and spur on heel, no 

All keen to do and dare; 
And proudly did that gallant boy 

Dunedin's^ banner bear. 
O, woful now was the old man's look, 

And he spake right heavily! ns 

" Now, Randolph, tell thy tidings, 

However sharp they be ! 

^ Aimed. See Notes. ^ Mayor, chief magistrate. 

' Bore, endured. * Helmet. ' Edinburgh's. 



78 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

Woe is written on thy visage, 

Death is looking from thy face; 
Speak ! though it be of overthrow, 120 

It cannot be disgrace !" 

Right bitter was the agony 

That wrung that soldier proud; 
Thrice did he strive to answer, 

And thrice he groaned aloud; 125 

Then he gave the riven banner 

To the old man's shaking hand, 
Saying: "This is all I bring ye 

From the bravest of the land ! 
Ayl ye may look upon it — 13° 

It was guarded well and long. 
By your brothers and your children, 

By the valiant, and the strong. 
One by one they fell around it. 

As the archers laid them low, 135 

Grimly dying, still unconquered, 

With their faces to the foe. 
Ay ! ye may well look upon it — 

There is more than honor there ; 
Else, be sure, I had not brought it 140 

From the field of dark despair. 
Never yet was royal banner 

Steeped in such a costly dye; 
It hath lain upon a bosom 

Where no other shroud shall lie. ^45 

Sirs, I charge you keep it holy, 

Keep it as a sacred thing; 
For the stain ye see upon it 

Was the life-blood of your king!" 



EDINBURGH AFTER FLODDEN. 79 

Woe, woe, and lamentation, 150 

What a piteous cry was there ! 
Widows, maidens, mothers, children, 

Shrieking, sobbing in despair! 
Through the streets the death-word rushes, 

Spreading terror, sweeping on. 155 

"Jesu Christ! our king has fallen — 

O Great God, King James is gone ! 
Holy Mother Mary, shield us. 

Thou who erst' didst lose thy Son ! 
O the blackest day for Scotland 160 

That she ever knew before ! 
O our king — the good, the noble ! 

Shall we see him never more? 
Woe to us, and woe to Scotland ! 

O our sons, our sons and men ! 165 

Surely some have 'scaped the Southron,'' 

Surely some will come again !" 
Till the oak that fell last winter 

Shall uprear its shattered stem. 
Wives and mothers of Dunedin, 170 

Ye may look in vain for them! 

But within the council chamber 

All was silent as the grave. 
Whilst the tempest of their sorrow 

Shook the bosoms of the brave. 175 

Well indeed might they be shaken 

With the weight of such a blow; 
He was gone — their prince, their idol. 

Whom they loved and worshipped so ! 
Like a knell of death and judgment, iSo 

Rung from heaven by angel hand, 
' Formerly. '-« Southerner, Englishman. 



8o TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

Fell the words of desolation 

On the elders of the land. 
Hoary heads were bowed and trembling, 

Withered hands were clasped and wrungT^ 185 
God had left the old and feeble, 

He had ta'en away the young. 

Then the provost he uprose. 

And his lips were ashen white ; 
But a flush was on his brow, 19° 

And his eye was full of light. 
"Thou hast spoken, Randolph Murray, 

Like a soldier stout and true ; 
Thou hast done a deed of daring 

Had been perilled ' but by few. 195 

For thou hast not shamed to face us, 

Nor to speak thy ghastly tale. 
Standing — thou a knight and captain — 

Here, alive within thy mail!^ 
Now, as my God shall judge me, 200 

I hold it braver done 
Than hadst thou tarried in thy place 

And died above my son ! 
Thou need'st not tell it : he is dead. 

God help us all this day ! 205 

But speak — how fought the citizens 

Within the furious fray? 
For, by the might of Mary, 

'T were something still to tell, 
That no Scottish foot went backward "o 

When the Royal Lion fell!" 
^ Ventured, dared. ' Armor. 



EDINBURGH AFTER FLODDEN. 8i 

" No one failed him ! He is keeping 

Royal state and semblance still ; 
Knight and noble lie around him, 

Cold on Flodden's fatal hill. 215 

Of the brave and gallant-hearted, 

Whom ye sent with prayers away, 
Not a single man departed 

From his monarch yesterday. 
Had you seen them, O my masters, 220 

When the night began to fall 
And the English spearmen gathered 

Round, a grim and ghastly wall! 
As the wolves in winter circle 

Round the leaguer' on the heath, 225 

So the greedy foe glared upward. 

Panting still for blood and death. 
But a rampart rose before them, 

Which the boldest dare not scale; 
Every stone a Scottish body, 230 

Every step a corpse in mail ! 
And behind it lay our monarch. 

Clenching still his shivered sword ; 
By his side Montrose and Athole, 

At his feet a Southron lord. 235 

All so thick they lay together. 

When the stars lit up the sky. 
That I knew not who were stricken 

Or who yet remained to die. 
Few there were when Surrey halted, 240 

And his wearied host withdrew ; 
None but dying men around me 

When the English trumpet blew. 
^ Camp. 



82 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

Then I stooped and took the banner, 

As you see it, from his breast, 245 

And I closed our hero's eyelids 

And I left him to his rest. 
In the mountain growled the thunder. 

As I leaped the woful wall, 
And the heavy clouds were settling 230 

Over Flodden like a pall." 

So he ended, and the others 

Cared not any answer then; 
Sitting silent, dumb with sorrow. 

Sitting anguish-struck, like men 255 

Who have seen the roaring torrent 

Sweep their happy homes away. 
And yet linger by the margin. 

Staring wildly on the spray. 
But, without, the maddening tumult sfc 

Waxes ever more and more, 
And the crowd of wailing women 

Gather round the council door. 
Every dusky spire is ringing 

With a dull and hollow knell, 265 

And the Miserere 's' singing 

To the tolling of the bell. 
Through the streets the burghers hurry, 

Spreading terror as they go; 
And the rampart 's thronged with watchers 270 

For the coming of the foe. 
From each mountain-top a pillar 

Streams into the torpid air. 
Bearing token from the Border 

That the English host is there. 27s 

^ See Notes. 



EDINBURGH AFTER FLO D DEN. 83 

All without is flight and terror, 

All within is woe and fear — 
God protect thee, Maiden City, 

For thy latest hour is near! 
No! not yet, thou high Dunedin, 280 

Shalt thou totter to thy fall, 
Though thy bravest and thy strongest 

Are not there to man the wall. 
No, not yet ! the ancient spirit 

Of our fathers hath not gone ; 285 

Take it to thee as a buckler 

Better far than steel or stone. 
O, remember those who perished 

For thy birthright at the time 
When to be a Scot was treason 290 

And to side with Wallace^ crime! 
Have they not a voice among us. 

Whilst their hallowed dust is here? 
Hear ye not a summons sounding 

From each buried warrior's bier? 295 

Up ! — they say — and keep the freedom 

Which we won you long ago ! 
Up! and keep our graves unsullied 

From the insults of the foe! 
Up! and if ye cannot save them, 3°° 

Come to us in blood and fire ! 
Midst the crash of falling turrets 

Let the last of Scots expire ! 

Still the bells are tolling fiercely, 

And the cry comes louder in ; 305 

Mothers wailing for their children. 

Sisters for their slaughtered kin. 
1 See Notes. 



84 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

All is terror and disorder, 

Till the provost rises up, 
Calm as though he had not tasted 310 

Of the fell and bitter cup. 
All so stately from his sorrow, 

Rose the old undaunted chief, 
That you had not deemed, to see him, 

His was more than common grief. 3^5 

" Rouse ye, sirs !" he said ; " we may not 

Longer mourn for what is done ; 
If our king be taken from us, 

We are left to guard his son. 
We have sworn to keep the city 320 

From the foe, whate'er they be, 
And the oath that we have taken 

Never shall be broke by me. 
Death is nearer to us, brethren. 

Than it seemed to those who died, 32s 

Fighting yesterday at Flodden, 

By their lord and master's side. 
Let us meet it then in patience, 

Not in terror or in fear; 
Though our hearts are bleeding yonder, 330 

Let our souls be steadfast here. 
Up, and rouse ye ! Time is fleeting, 

And we yet have much to do! 
Up! and haste ye through the city. 

Stir the burghers stout and true! 335 

Gather all our scattered people, 

Fling the banner out once more! — 
Randolph Murray, do thou bear it, 

As it erst was borne before ! 
Never Scottish heart will leave it 340 

When they see their monarch's gore ! 



EDINBURGH AFTER FLOOD EN. 85 

Let them cease that dismal knellmg ! 

It is time enough to ring 
When the fortress-strength ' of Scotland 

Stoops to ruin like its king. 34s 

Let the bells be kept for warning, 

Not for terror or alarm ; 
When they next are heard to thunder, 

Let each man and stripling arm. 
Bid the women leave their wailing — 350 

Do they think that woful strain, 
From the bloody heaps of Flodden, 
Can redeem their dearest slain? 
Bid them cease — or rather hasten 

To the churches every one ; 35s 

There to pray to Mary Mother 

And to her anointed Son, 
That the thunderbolt above us 

May not fall in ruin yet; 
That in fire and blood and rapine 360 

Scotland's glory may not set. 
Let them pray— for never women 

Stood in need of such a prayer! — 
England's yeomen " shall not find them 

Clinging to the altars there. 365 

No ! if we are doomed to perish, 

Man and maiden, let us fall. 
And a common gulf of ruin 

Open wide to whelm us all! 
Never shall the ruthless spoiler 370 

Lay his hot insulting hand 
On the sisters of our heroes 

While we bear a torch or brand 1 
» Edinburgh Castle. '^ Soldiers. See Notes. 



86 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

Up ! and rouse ye, then, my brothers 1 

But when next ye hear the bell 375 

Sounding forth the sullen summons 

That may be our funeral knell, 
Once more let us meet together, 

Once more see each other's face; 
Then, like men that need not tremble, 380 

Go to our appointed place. 
God, our Father, will not fail us 

In that last tremendous hour; 
If all other bulwarks crumble, 

He will be our strength and tower. 385 

Though the ramparts rock beneath us 

And the walls go crashing down, 
Though the roar of conflagration 

Bellow o'er the sinking town, 
There is yet one place of shelter 390 

Where the foeman cannot come, 
Where the summons never sounded 

Of the trumpet or the drum. 
There again we'll meet our children, 

Who, on Flodden's trampled sod, 395 

For their king and for their country 

Rendered up their souls to God. 
There shall we find rest and refuge 

With our dear departed brave, 
And the ashes of the city 400 

Be our universal srave!" 







JAMBS V. OF SCOTLAND. 



THE GOODMAN OF BALLENGIECH/ 

By Sir Walter Scott. 

James the Fifth had a custom of going about the 
country disguised as a private person, in order that he 
might hear complaints which might not otherwise reach 
his ears, and, perhaps, that he might enjoy amusement 
which he could not have partaken of in his avowed royal 
character. 

When James travelled in disguise he used a name 
which was known only to some of his principal nobility 
and attendants. He was called the Goodman (the ten- 
' Bal' -len-giech (-geek). 



38 J'ALES J' ROM SCOTTISH II I STORY, 

ant, that is) of Ballengicch. BallcMigicch is a steep pass lo 
which leads down behind the castle of Stirling. Once 
upon a time, when the court was feasting in Stirling, ' 
the king sent for some venison from the neighboring 
iiills. The deer were killed and put on horses' backs 
to be transported to Stirling. Unluckily they had to 15 
pass the castle gates of Arnpryor,' belonging to a chief 
of the lUichanans, who chanced to have a considerable 
number of guests with him. It was late, and the com- 
pany were rather short of victuals, though they had more 
than enough of liquor. The chief, seeing so much fat ^o 
venison passing his very door, seized on it; and to the 
expostulations of the keepers, who told him it belonged 
to King lames, he answered insolently that if James 
was king in Scotland, he, Buchanan, was king in Kip- 
pen, being the name of the district in which the castle 25 
of Arnpryor lay. On hearing what had happened, the 
king got on horseback and rode instantly from Stirling 
to liuchanan's house, where he found a strong, fierce- 
looking Highlander, with an axe on his shoulder, stand- 
ing sentinel at the door. This grim warder refused the 30 
king admittance, saying that the laird of Arnpryor was 
at dinner and would not be disturbed. *' Yet go up to 
the comj^any, my good friend," said the king, "and tell 
him that the Goodman of liallengiech is come to feast 
with the King of Kippen." The porter went grumbling 35 
into the house and told his master that there was a fel- 
low with a red beard at the gate, who called himself the 
Goodman of Ballengiech, who said he was come to dine 
with the King of Kippen. As soon as Buchanan heard 
these words, he knew that the king was come in person, 40 
and hastened down to kneel at James's feet and to ask 
' Ain'-pry-i)i. 



THE GOODMAN OF BALLENGIECH. 89 

forgiveness for his insolent behavior. But the king, who 
only meant to give him a fright, forgave him freely, and, 
going into the castle, feasted on his own venison which 
Buchanan had intercepted. Buchanan of Arnpryor was 45 
ever afterwards called the King of Kippen. 

Upon another occasion, King James, being alone and 
in disguise, fell into a quarrel with some gypsies, or 
other vagrants, and was assaulted by four or five of 
them. This chanced to be very near the bridge of Cra- 50 
mond;' so the king got on the bridge, which, as it was 
high and narrow, enabled him to defend himself with 
his sword against the number of persons by whom he 
was attacked. There was a poor man threshing corn in 
a barn near by, who came out on hearing the noise of the 55 
scuffle and, seeing one man defending himself against 
numbers, gallantly took the king's part with his flail, to 
such good purpose that the gypsies were obliged to fly. 
The husbandman then took the king into the barn, 
brought him a towel and water to wash the blood from 60 
his face and hands, and finally walked with him a little 
way towards Edinburgh, in case he should be again at- 
tacked. On the way, the king asked his companion 
what and who he was. The laborer answered that his 
name was John Howieson," and that he was a bondsman 65 
on the farm of Braehead,^ near Cramond, which be- 
longed to the King of Scotland. James then asked the 
poor man if there was any wish in the world which he 
would particularly desire should be gratified ; and hon- 
est John confessed he should think himself the happiest 70 
man in Scotland were he but proprietor of the farm on 
which he wrought as a laborer. He then asked the 

' Cra'-mond {a as in ah). ' llow'-ie-soii. 

' Brae'-hcad {ixe as a). 



9° 



TALES I' ROM SCOTTISH JI I STORY. 



king ill turn wlio he was, and James replied, as usual, 
that he was the Goodman of liallcngicch, a poor man 
who had a small appointment about the palace; but he 75 
added that, if John Howieson would come to see him 
on the next Sunday, he would endeavor to repay his 
manful assistance and, at least, give him the pleasure 
of seeing the royal apartments. 

John put on his best clothes, as you may suppose, and, 80 
appearing at a postern gate of the palace, inquired for 
the Goodman of liallengiech. The king had given or- 
ders that he should be admitted; and John found his 
friend, the goodman, in the same disguise which he had 
formerly worn. The king, still preserving the character 85 
of an inferior officer of the household, conducted John 
Howieson from one apartment of the palace to another, 
and was amused with his wonder and his remarks. At 
length James asked his visitor if he should like to see 
the king; to which John replied that nothing would de- 9° 
light him so much, if he could do so without giving of- 
fence. 'J'he Goodman of Ballengiech, of course, under- 
took that the king would not be angry. " But," said 
John, "how am 1 to know his grace from the nobles 
who will be all about him?" — " Easily," replied his com- 95 
panion; "all the others will be uncovered — the king 
alone will wear his hat or bonnet." 

So speaking. King James introduced the countryman 
into a great hall, which was filled by the nobility and 
officers of the crown. John was a little frightened and 100 
drew close to his attendant, but was still unable to dis- 
tinguish the king. "I told you that you should know 
him by his wearing his hat," said the conductor. " Then," 
said John, after he had again looked around the room, 
"it must be either you or me, for all but us two are 105 
bareheaded." 



THE GOODMAJV OF li ALLEN GIECH. 91 

The king laughed at John's Aiiicy ; and, that the good 
yeoman might have occasion for mirtli also, he made 
him a present of the farm of liraehead, which he had 
wished so much 10 possess, on condition that John 
Howieson or his successors should be ready to present 
a ewer and basin for the king to wash his hands when 
his majesty should come to Holyrood Palace or should 
pass the bridge of Cramond. 




GKUAT SKAL 01' JAMKS V. 




MAKY QUHKN OF SCOTS. 



MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS RESIGNS THE 
CROWN. 

By Sir Walter Scott. 

\ Roland Grcrvie of Scotfs novel, The Abbot, answers 
to the Willy Douglas, or ''the little Douglas, ^^ of history. 
Through the Earl of Murray he oiters the service of 
Queen Mary while she is a prisoner in Lochleven Castle. 
While waiting in the ante-roo?n of her apartments he sees 
from the window Lindesay, Melville, and their follo7vers 
disembark and approach the castle gate, where they are met 
by Lord Ruthven. He makes fast the door of the ante- 
room and awaits their approach^ 



He had not long to wait- 



-a rude and stronjr hand 



MA/^V DESIGNS THE CROWN. 93 

first essayed to lift the latch, then pushed and shook the 
door with violence, and, when it resisted his attempt to 
open it, exclaimed, " Undo the door there, you within !" 

"Why, and at whose command," said the page, "am s 
I to undo the door of the apartments of the Queen of 
Scotland ?" 

Another vain attempt, which made hinge and bolt 
jingle, showed that the impatient applicant without 
would willingly have entered altogether regardless of xo 
his challenge ; but at length an answer was returned. 

"Undo the door, on your peril — the Lord Lindesay 
comes to speak with the Lady Mary of Scotland." 

"The Lord Lindesay, as a Scottish noble," answered 
the page, "must await his sovereign's leisure." is 

An earnest altercation ensued amongst those without, 
in which Roland distinguished the remarkable harsh 
voice of Lindesay in reply to Sir Robert Melville, who 
appeared to have been using some soothing language — 
"No! no! no! I tell thee, no! I will place a petard ' 20 
against the door rather than be balked by a profligate 
woman and bearded by an insolent footboy." 

"Yet, at least," said Melville, "let me try fair means 
in the first instance. Violence to a lady would stain 
your scutcheon'^ forever. Or await till my Lord Ruth- 25 
ven comes." 

"I will await no longer," said Lindesay; "it is high 
time the business were done and we on our return to 
the council. But thou mayst try thy fair play, as thou 
callest it, while I cause my train to prepare the petard. 30 
I came hither provided with as good gunpowder as blew 
up the Kirk of Field." ^ 

" For God's sake, be patient," said Melville ; and, ap- 

' Bomb. ' That is, your honor. See Noh's. ^ See Notes. 



94 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY, 

proaching the door, he said, as speaking to those within, 
"Let the queen know that J, her faithful servant, Rob- as 
ert Melville, do entreat her, for her own sake and to 
prevent worse consequences, that she will undo the door 
and admit Lord Lindesay, who brings a mission from 
the Council of State." 

"I will do your errand to the queen," said the page, 40 
" and report to you her answer." 

He went to the door of the bedchamber, and, tapping 
against it gently, it was opened by the elderly lady,' to 
whom he communicated his errand, and returned with 
directions from the queen to admit Sir Robert Melville 45 
and Lord Lindesay. Roland Grajme returned to the 
vestibule'' and opened the door accordingly, into which 
the Lord Lindesay strode, with the air of a soldier who 
has fought his way into a conquered fortress, while Mel- 
ville, deeply dejected, followed him more slowly. so 

" I draw you to witness and to record," said the page 
to this last, " that, save for the especial commands of the 
queen, I would have made good the entrance with my 
best strength and my best blood against all Scotland." 

" Be silent, young man," said Melville in a tone of ss 
grave rebuke; "add not brands to fire — this is no time 
to make a flourish of thy boyish chivalry." 

" She has not appeared even yet," said Lindesay, who 
had now reached the midst of the parlor or audience- 
room ; "how call you this trifling?" 6° 

" Patience, my lord," replied Sir Robert, " time presses 
not — and Lortl Rulhven hath not as yet descended." 

At this moment the door of the inner apartment 
opened, and Queen Mary presented herself, advancing 
with an air of peculiar grace and majesty, and seeming 65 

' One of the (|iu'i'ii's attendants. * Anle-rooni. 



MARY RESIGNS THE CROWN. 95 

totally iinriifllcd eitlier by tlic visit or by the rude man- 
ner in whicli it had been enlbrced. Her dress was a 
robe of black velvet; a small ruff open in front gave a 
full view of her beautifully formed chin and neck, but 
veiled the bosom. On her head she wore a small capy^^ 
of lace, and a transparent white veil hung from her 
shoulders over the long black robe in large loose folds, 
so that it could be drawn at pleasure over the face and 
person. She wore a cross of gold around her neck, 
and had her rosary of gold and ebony hanging from her 75 
girdle. She was closely followed by her two ladies, 
who remained standing behind her during the confer- 
ence. Even Lord Lindesay, though the rudest noble 
of that rude age, was surprised into something like 
respect by the unconcerned and majestic mien of her 80 
whom he had expected to find frantic with impotent 
passion, or dissolved in useless and vain sorrow, or over- 
whelmed with the fears likely in such a situation to as- 
sail fallen royalty. 

"We fear we have detained you, my Lord of Linde-85 
say," said the queen, while she courtesied with dignity 
in answer to his reluctant obeisance, "but a female does 
not willingly receive her visitors without some minutes 
spent at the toilet. Men, my lord, are less dependent 
on such ceremonies." 90 

Lord Lindesay, casting his eye down on his own travel- 
stained and disordered dress, muttered something of a 
hasty journey, and the queen paid her greeting to Sir 
Robert Melville with courtesy, and even, as it seemed, 
with kindness. There was then a dead pause, during 95 
which Lindesay looked towards the door, as if expecting 
with impatience the colleague ' of their embassy. The 

' (-ompaiiion, fcllovv-nieiiiber. 



96 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

queen alone was entirely unembarrassed, and, as if to 
break the silence, she addressed Lord Lindesay, with a 
glance at the lar^e and cumbrous sword which he wore. loo 

"You have there a trusty and a weighty travelling 
companion, my lord. I trust you expected to meet with 
no enemy here, against whom such a formidable weapon 
could be necessary? It is, methinks, somewhat a sin- 
gular ornament for a court, though I am, as I well need 105 
to be, too much of a Stuart to fear a sword." 

" It is not the first time, madam," replied Lindesay, 
bringing round the weapon so as to rest its point on 
the ground, and leaning one hand on the huge cross- 
handle — " it is not the first time that this weapon has in- no 
truded itself into the presence of the House of Stuart." 

" Possibly, my lord," replied the queen, " it may have 
done service to my ancestors. Your ancestors were men 
of loyalty." 

"Ay, madam," replied he, "service it hath done; but 115 
such as kings love neither to acknowledge nor to re- 
ward. It was the service which the knife renders to the 
tree when trimming it to the quick and depriving it of 
the superfluous growth of rank and unfruitful suckers, 
which rob it of nourishment." 120 

"You talk riddles, my lord," said Mary; "I will hope 
the explanation carries nothing insulting with it." 

"You shall judge, madam," answered Lindesay. 
"With this good sword was Archibald Douglas, Earl of 
Angus, girded on the memorable day when he acquired 125 
the name of Bell-the-Cat for dragging from the presence 
of your great grandfather, the third James of the race, 
a crew of minions, flatterers, and favorites, whom he 
hanged over the bridge of Lauder, as a warning to such 
reptiles how they approach a Scottish throne. With 130 



MAJ^V RESIGNS THE CROWN. 97 

this same weapon the same inflexible champion of 
Scottish honor and nobility slew at one blow Spens of 
Kilspindie/ a courtier of your grandfiither, James the 
Fourth, who had dared to speak lightly of him in the 
royal presence. They fought near the brook of Fala ; 135 
and Bcll-the-Cat, with this blade, sheared through the 
thigh of his opponent and lopped the limb as easily as 
a shepherd's boy slices a twig from a sapling." 

" My lord," replied the queen, reddening, "my nerves 
are too good to be alarmed even by this terrible his-M^ 
tory." Lord Ruthven entered at the instant, holding in 
his hand a packet. As the queen returned his saluta- 
tion she became deadly pale, but instantly recovered 
herself by dint of strong and sudden resolution, just as 
the noble, whose appearance seemed to excite such ms 
emotions in her bosom, entered the apartment in com- 
pany with George Douglas, the youngest son of the 
Knight of Lochleven,''' who, during the absence of his 
father and brethren, acted as seneschal' of the castle, 
under the direction of the elder Lady Lochleven, his '50 
father's mother. 

Lord Ruthven had the look and bearing which be- 
came a soldier and a statesman, and the martial cast of 
his form and features procured him the popular epithet 
of Greysteil,* by which he was distinguished by his inti- '55 
mates, after the hero of a metrical romance then gener- 
ally known. His dress, which was a buffcoat embroid- 
ered, had a half-military character, but exhibited nothing 
of that sordid negligence which distinguished that of 
Lindesay. But the son of an ill-fated sire, and the fa- 160 

' Kil-spin'-die. '^ Loch-lev'-cn {ch like k). 

' Commander (pronounced sen'-e-shal). See Notes. 
4 Grey'-steil (-steel). 

7 



q8 tales from SCOTTISH HISTORY, 

iher of a yet more unfortunate family, bore in his look 
that cast of inauspicious melancholy by which the 
physiognomists' of that time pretended to distinguish 
those who were predestined to a violent and unhappy 
death. 165 

The terror which the presence of this nobleman im- 
pressed on the queen's mind arose from the active share 
he had borne in the slaughter of David Rizzio;" his 
father having presided at the perpetration of that abom- 
inable crime, although so weak from long and wasting 170 
illness that he could not endure the weight of his armor, 
having arisen from a sick-bed to commit a murder in 
the presence of his sovereign. On that occasion his 
son also had attended and taken an active part. It was 
little to be wondered at that the queen, considering her 17s 
condition when such a deed of horror was acted in her 
presence, should retain an instinctive terror for the prin- 
cipal actors in the murder. She returned, however, with 
grace the salutation of Lord Ruthven, and extended 
her hand to George Douglas, who knelt and kissed it 180 
with respect. There was a brief pause, during which the 
steward of the castle, a man of a sad brow and a severe 
eye, placed, under George Douglas's directions, a table 
and writing materials; and the page, obedient to his 
mistress's dumb signal, advanced a large chair to the 185 
side on which the queen stood, the table thus forming 
a sort of bar which divided the queen and her personal 
followers from her unwelcome visitors. The steward 
then withdrew after a low reverence. 

" I wait the purpose of your mission, my lords," said 19° 
the queen, after she had been seated for about a minute 
without a word being spoken — " I wait your message 
' Sec Notes. ^ rionounced Rit'-se-o. 



MARY h'ESICNS THE CA'Oll'Ar. qq 

from those you call the Secret Council. I trust it is a 
petition of pardon, and a desire that I will resume my 
ri<;hlful throne, without usinj; with due severity my right «9S 
of punishing those who have disjiossessed me of it." 

" Madam," replied Ruthven, " it is painful for us to 
speak harsh truths to a princess who has long ruled us. 
hut we come to offer, not to imjilore, i)ardon. In a 
word, inadam, we have to propos(i to you on the part of 200 
the Secret Council that you sign these deeds, which will 
contribute greatly to the pacilication ' of the stale, the 
advancement of Cod's word, and the welfare of your 
own future life." 

"Am I expected to take these fair words on trust, my -:0s 
lord? or may I hear the contents of those reconciling 
papers ere 1 am asked to sign them ?" 

" Unquestionably, madam ; it is our purpose and wish 
you should read what you are recjuired to sign," replied 
Ruthven. 210 

"Required?" rei:)lied the queen, with some (;mphasis; 
"but the phrase suits well the matter — read, my lord." 

The Lord Ruthven proceeded to read a formal in- 
strument, running in the queen's name?, atul setting forth 
that she had been called, at an early age, to (he admin- -'is 
istration of the crown and realm of Scotland, and had 
toiled diligently therein until she was in body and spirit 
so wearied out and disgusted that she was unable any 
longer to endure the travail and pain of state affairs; 
and that, since God liad blessed her with a fair and 2-10 
hopeful son, she was desirous to insure to him, even 
while she yet lived, his succession to the crown which 
was his by right of hereditary descent. 

" And is this a/l my loving subjects require of me, my 
' Making peaceful. 



lOO TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

lord ?'' said Mary, in a tone of bitter irony. " Do they 225 
really stint themselves to the easy boon that I should 
yield up the crown, which is mine by birthright, to an 
infant which is scarcely more than a year old — fling 
down my sceptre, and take up a distaff? O, no I it is 
too little for them to ask — that other roll of parchment ?3o 
contains something harder to be complied with, and 
which may more highly tax my readiness to comply with 
the petitions of my lieges." ' 

"This parchment," answered Ruthven, in the same 
tone of inflexible gravity, and unfolding the instrument =35 
as he spoke, " is one by which your grace constitutes 
your nearest in blood, and the most honorable and 
trustworthy of your subjects, James, Earl of Murray, re- 
gent of the kingdom during the minority of the young 
king. He already holds the appointment from the Se- - 10 
cret Council." 

The queen gave a sort of shriek and, clapping her 
hands together, exclaimed, " Comes the arrow out of his 
quiver? — out of my brother's bowi* — Alas! I looked 
for his return from France as my sole, at least my read- 245 
iest, chance of deliverance. And yet when I heard that 
he had assumed the government I guessed he would 
shame to wield it in my name." 

" I must pray your answer, madam," said Lord Ruth- 
ven, "to the demand of the council." -so 

"The demand of the council !" said the queen; "say 
rather the demand of a set of robbers, impatient to di- 
vide the spoil they have seized. To such a demand, 
and sent by the mouth of a traitor, whose scalp, but for 
my womanish mercy, should long since have stood on 25s 
the city gates, Mary of Scotland has no answer." 
' Subjects. 



MARY RESIGxWS THE CROWN. iqi 

" I trust, madam," said Lord Ruthven, " my being un- 
acceptable to your presence will not add to your obdu- 
racy of resolution. It may become you to remember 
that the death of the minion, Rizzio, cost the house of 260 
Ruthven its head and leader. My father, more worthy 
than a whole province of such vile sycophants,' died in 
exile and broken-hearted." 

The queen clasped her hands on her face, and, rest- 
ing her arms on the table, stooped down her head and 265 
wept so bitterly that the tears were seen to find their 
way in streams between the white and slender fingers 
with which she endeavored to conceal them, 

" My lords," said Robert Melville, " this is too much 
rigor. Under your lordship's favor, we came hither, not 270 
to revive old griefs, but to find the mode of avoiding 
new ones." 

"Be silent. Sir Robert Melville," said the queen, 
arising, and her face still glowing with agitation as she 
spoke. "My kerchief, Fleming— I shame that traitors 275 
should have power to move me thus. Tell me, proud 
lords," she added, wiping away the tears as she spoke, 
"by what earthly warrant can liege subjects pretend to 
challenge the rights of an anointed sovereign— to throw 
off the allegiance they have vowed, and to take away 280 
the crown from the head on which divine warrant hath 
placed it ?" 

"Madam," said Ruthven,"! will deal plainly with 
you. Your reign, from the dismal field of Pinkiecleugh,'' 
when you were a babe in the cradle, till now that ye 285 
stand a grown dame before us, hath been such a tragedy 
of losses, disasters, civil dissensions, and foreign wars, 
that the like is not to be found in our chronicles. The 
' Flatterers. * Pink.ie-cleugh' (-cloo). 



I02 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

French and English have, with one consent, made Scot- 
land the battle-field on which to fight out their own an- 290 
cient quarrel. For ourselves, every man's hand hath 
been against his brother, nor hath a year passed over 
without rebellion, exile of nobles, and oppressing of the 
commons.' We may endure it no longer, and therefore, 
as a prince to whom God hath refused the gift of heark-295 
ening to wise counsel, and on whose dealings and proj- 
ects no blessing hath ever descended, we pray you to 
give way to other rule and governance of the land, 
that a remnant may yet be saved to this distracted 
realm." 30° 

" My lord," said Mary, *' it seems to me that you fling 
on my unhappy and devoted head those evils, which, 
with far more justice, I may impute to your own turbu- 
lent, wild, and untamable dispositions — the frantic vio- 
lence with which you, the magnates" of Scotland, enter 305 
into feuds against each other, sticking at no cruelty to 
gratify your wrath, taking deep revenge for the slightest 
ofifences, and setting at defiance those wise laws which 
your ancestors made for stanching of such cruelty, re- 
belling against the lawful authority, and bearing your-310 
selves as if there were no king in the land; or rather 
as if each were king in his own premises. And now 
you throw the blame on me — on me, whose life has been 
embittered — whose sleep has been broken — whose hap- 
piness has been wrecked by your dissensions. Have 1 3«s 
not myself been obliged to traverse wilds and mountains, 
at the head of a few fiiithful followers, to maintain peace 
and to put down oppression ? Have I not worn har- 
ness^ on my person and carried pistols at my saddle, 
fain to lay aside the softness of a woman and the dig- 320 
' Common people. * Nobles. ' Armor, 



MARY RESIGNS THE CROWN. 



03 



nity of a queen that I might show an example to my 
followers?" 

" We grant, madam," said Lindesay, " that the affrays 
occasioned by your misgovernment may sometimes have 
startled you in the midst of a masque' or galliard;^ or 325 
it may be that such may have interrupted the idolatry 
of the mass or the Jesuitical counsels of some French 
ambassador. But the longest and severest journey 
which your grace has taken in my memory was from 
Hawick to Hermitage Castle; and whether it was for 330 
the weal of the state or for your own honor rests with 
your grace's conscience." 

The queen turned to him with an inexpressible sweet- 
ness of tone and manner, and that engaging look which 
Heaven had assigned her, as if to show that the choicest 33s 
arts to win men's affections may be given in vain. 
"Lindesay," she said, "you spoke not to me in this 
stern tone and with such scurril taunt yon fair summer 
evening when you and I shot at the butts against the 
Earl of Mar and Mary Livingstone, and won of them 340 
the evening's collation, in the privy garden of Saint An- 
drews. The Master of Lindesay was then my friend, 
and vowed to be my soldier. How I have offended 
the Lord of Lindesay I know not, unless honors have 
changed manners." 345 

Hard-hearted as he was, Lindesay seemed struck with 
this unexpected appeal, but almost instantly replied: 
" Madam, it is well known that your grace could in those 
days make fools of whomever approached 3^ou. I pre- 
tend not to have been wiser than others. But gayer 350 
men and better courtiers soon jostled aside my rude 
homage, and I think your grace cannot but remember 
' See Notes. '^ A lively dance. 



104 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

times when my awkward attempts to take the manners 
that pleased you were the sport of the court-popinjays, 
the Marys, and the P>enchwomen." 3ss 

" My lord, I grieve if I have offended you through 
idle gayety," said the queen; "and can but say it was 
most unwittingly' done. You are fully revenged; for 
through gayety," she said with a sigh, " will I never of- 
fend any one more." 360 

" Madam," said Ruthven, " we know that you are an 
orator ; and perhaps for that reason the council has sent 
hither men whose converse hath been more with the 
wars than with the language of the schools or the cabals* 
of state. We but desire to know if, on assurance of life 36s 
and honor, ye will demit' the rule of this kingdom of 
Scotland ?" 

"And what warrant have I," said the queen, "that ye 
will keep treaty with me, if I should barter my kingly 
estate for seclusion and leave to weep in secret .-'" 370 

"Our honor and our word, madam," answered Ruthven. 

" They are too slight and unsolid pledges, my lord," 
said the queen; "add at least a handful of thistle-down 
to give them weight in the balance." 

" Away, Ruthven," said Lindesay ; " she was ever deaf 375 
to counsel, save of slaves and sycophants ; let her re- 
main by her refusal, and abide by it !" 

"Stay, my lord," said Sir Robert Melville, "or rather 
permit me to have but a few minutes' private audience 
with her grace. If my presence with you could avail 380 
aught, it must be as a mediator — do not, I conjure* you, 
leave the castle or break off the conference until I 

* Unknowingly, unintentionally. 

''■ Intrigues, plottings. Sec Notes, ^ Resign. 

■* Entreat, beg. 



MARY RESIGNS THE CROWN. 105 

bring you word how her grace shall finally stand dis- 
posed." 

"We will remain in the hall," said Lindesay, "for 3«5 
half an hour's space." 

\^Mary is reluctantly prevailed upon by Meh'ille, and by 
the recommendation of some of her nobles and friends^ to 
consent to the abdication.^ 

George Douglas opened the door of the apartment, 
and marshalled in the two noble envoys. 

"We come, madam," said the Lord Ruthven, "to re- 
quest your answer to the proposal of the council." ?.o^ 

"Your final answer," said Lord Lindesay; "for with 
a refusal you must couple the certainty that you have 
precipitated' your fate and renounced the last opportu- 
nity of making peace with God and insuring your longer 
abode in the world." 395 

"My lords," said Mary, with inexpressible grace and 
dignity, "the evils we cannot resist we must submit to 
— I will subscribe these parchments with such liberty 
of choice as my condition permits me. Were I on yon- 
der shore, with a fleet jennet^ and ten good and loyal 400 
knights around me, I would subscribe my sentence of 
eternal condemnation as soon as the resignation of my 
throne. But here, in the Castle of Lochleven, with deep 
water around me — and you, my lords, beside me — I have 
no freedom of choice. Give me the pen, Melville, and 40s 
bear witness to what I do, and why I do it." 

" It is our hope your grace will not suppose yourself 
compelled, by any apprehensions from us," said the Lord 
Ruthven, "to execute what must be your own voluntary 
deed." 410 

' Hastened. '•' A small horse. 



io6 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

The queen had already stooped towards the table 
and placed the parchment before her, with the pen be- 
tween her fingers, ready for the important act of signa- 
ture. But when Lord Ruthven had done speaking, she 
looked up, stopped short, and threw down the pen. " If," 415 
she said, " I am expected to declare I give away my 
crown of free will, or otherwise than because I am com- 
pelled to renounce it by the threat of worse evils to my- 
self and my subjects, I will not put name to such an 
untruth — not to gain full possession of England, France, 420 
and Scotland 1 — all once my own, in possession, or by 
right." 

" Beware, madam," said Lindesay, and, snatching hold 
of the queen's arm with his own gauntleted' hand, he 
pressed it, in the rudeness of his passion, more closely, 425 
perhaps, than he was himself aware of — "beware how 
you contend with those who are the stronger, and have 
the mastery of your fate !" 

He held his grasp on her arm, bending his eyes on 
her with a stern and intimidating look, till both Ruth- 430 
ven and Melville cried shame ; and Douglas, who had 
hitherto remained in a state of apathy,^ had made a 
stride from the door, as if to interfere. The rude baron 
then quitted his hold, disguising the confusion which he 
really felt at having indulged his passion to such ex- 435 
tent under a sullen and contemptuous smile. 

The queen immediately began, with an expression of 
pain, to bare the arm which he had grasped, by drawing 
up the sleeve of her gown, and it appeared that his gripe 
had left the purple marks of his iron fingers upon her -40 
flesh — " My lord," she said, " as a knight and gentle- 

' Wearing a gauntlet^ or steel glove. 
* Want of feeling, indifference. 



AfA/^Y A' £ SIGNS THE CROWN. 107 

man, you might have spared my frail arm so severe a 
proof that you have the greater strength on your side 
and are resolved to use it — but I thank you for it — it is 
the most decisive token of the terms on which this day's 445 
business is to rest. I draw you to witness, both lords 
and ladies," she said, showing the marks of the grasp on 
her arm, " that I subscribe these instruments in obedi- 
ence to the sign manual of my Lord of Lindesay, which 
you may see imprinted on mine arm." 450 

Lindesay would have spoken, but was restrained by 
his colleague Ruthven, who said to him: "Peace, my 
lord. Let the Lady Mary of Scotland ascribe her sig- 
nature to what she will, it is our business to procure it 
and carry it to the council. Should there be debate 455 
hereafter on the manner in which it was adhibited,' 
there will be time enough for it." 

Lindesay was silent accordingly, only muttering with- 
in his beard, "I meant not to hurt her; but I think 
woman's flesh be as tender as new-fallen snow." 460 

The queen meanwhile subscribed the rolls of parch- 
ment with a hasty indifference, as if they had been mat- 
ters of slight consequence or of mere formality. When 
she had performed this painful task she arose, and, hav- 
ing courtesied to the lords, was about to withdraw 10465 
her chamber. Ruthven and Sir Robert Melville made, 
the first a formal reverence, the second an obeisance, 
in which his desire to acknowledge his sympathy was 
obviously checked by the fear of appearing in the eyes 
of his colleagues too partial to his former mistress. 470 
But Lindesay stood motionless, even when they were 
preparing to withdraw. At length, as if moved by a 
sudden impulse, he walked round the table which had 
' Affixed, appended. 



lo8 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

hitherto been betwixt them and the queen, knelt on 
one knee, took her hand, kissed it, let it fall, and arose. 475 
" Lady," he said, " thou art a noble creature, even though 
thou hast abused God's choicest gifts. 1 pay that de- 
votion to thy manliness of spirit which I would not have 
paid to the power thou hast long undeservedly wielded 
— I kneel to Mary Stuart, not to the queen." 483 

"The queen and Mary Stuart pity thee alike, Linde- 
say,"said Mary — "alike they pity, and they forgive thee. 
An honored soldier hadst thou been by a king's side — 
leagued with rebels what art thou but a good blade in 
the hands of a ruffian.? — Farewell, my Lord Ruthven, 485 
the smoother but the deeper traitor. — Farewell, Mel- 
ville — mayst thou find masters that can understand 
state policy better, and have the means to reward it 
more richly than Mary Stuart. — Farewell, George of 
Douglas — make your respected grandame comprehend 490 
that we would be alone for the remainder of the day — 
God wot ' we have need to collect our thoughts." All 
bowed and withdrew. 

' Knows. 




SIGNATUKK OF QUHHN MARY. 




LOCHI.HVHN CASTLU. 



ESCAPE OF QUEEN MARY FROM LOCH- 
LEVEN. 

By Sir Walter Scott. 

"Look from that window, Roland," said the queen; 
"see you amongst the several lights which begin to 
kindle and to glimmer palely through the gray of the 
evening from the village of Kinross — seest thou, I say, 
one solitary spark apart from the others, and nearer it s 
seems to the verge of the water? It is no brighter at 
this distance than the torch of the poor glow-worm, and 
yet, my good youth, that light is more dear to Mary 
Stuart than every star that twinkles in the blue vault 
of heaven. By that signal I know that more than one lo 
true heart is plotting my deliverance ; and without that 
consciousness and the hope of freedom it gives me I 



1 1 o TALES FROM SCO TTISH HISTOR K 

had long since stooped to my fate and died of a broken 
heart. Plan after plan has been formed and abandoned, 
but still the light glimmers, and while it glimmers my 15 
hope lives. — O, how many evenings have I sat musing 
in despair over our ruined schemes, and scarce hoping 
that I should again see that blessed signal, when it has 
suddenly kindled, and, like the lights of Saint Elmo in 
a tempest, brought hope and consolation where there 20 
was only dejection and despair !" 

" If I mistake not," answered Roland, " the candle 
shines from the house of Blinkhoolie,' the mail -gar- 
dener."* 

" Thou hast a good eye," said the queen ; " it is there 25 
where my trusty lieges — God and the saints pour bless- 
ings on them ! — hold consultation for my deliverance. 
The voice of a wretched captive would die on these 
blue waters long ere it could mingle in their councils; 
and yet I can hold communication — I will confide the 30 
whole to thee — I am about to ask those faithful friends 
if the moment for the great attempt is nigh. Place the 
lamp in the window, Fleming." 

She obeyed, and immediately withdrew it. No sooner 
had she done so than the light in the cottage of the 35 
gardener disappeared. 

" Now, count," said Queen Mary, "for my heart beats 
so thick that I cannot count myself" 

The Lady Fleming began deliberately to count one, 
two, three, and when she had arrived at ten, the light on 40 
the shore again showed its pale twinkle. 

" Now, our Lady be praised !" said the queen ; " it was 
but two nights since that the absence of the light re- 
mained while I could tell thirty. The hour of deliver- 

^ Llink-hoo'-lie. ^ One who raises garden produce for sale. 



ESCAPE OF MARY. Ill 

ance approaches. May God bless those who labor in 45 
it with such truth to me! — alas! with such hazard to 
themselves — and bless you too, my children ! Come, 
we must to the audience-chamber again. Our absence 
might excite suspicion should they serve supper." 

They returned to the presence-chamber, and the even- 50 
ing concluded as usual. 

The next morning, at dinner-time, an unusual incident 
occurred. While Lady Douglas of Lochleven performed 
her daily duty of assistant and taster' at the queen's 
table, she was told a man-at-arms had arrived, recom-55 
mended by her son, but without any letter or other token 
than what he brought by word of mouth. 

" Hath he given you that token ?" demanded the lady. 

" He reserved it, as I think, for your ladyship's ear," 
replied Randal. 60 

"He doth well," said the lady; "tell him to wait in 
the hall. But no — with your permission, madam " (to 
the queen), "let him attend me here." 

When the Lady Lochleven had retired, the queen said 
to Roland Graeme, "I spy comfort in that stranger's 65 
countenance; I knqw not why it should be so, but I am 
well persuaded he is a friend." 

" Your grace's penetration does not deceive you," 
answered the page; and he informed her that the abbot 
of Saint Mary's himself played the part of the newly- 70 
arrived soldier. 

The queen crossed herself and looked upwards. " Un- 
worthy sinner that I am," she said, " that for my sake a 
man so holy, and so high in spiritual office, should wear 
the garb of a base sworder* and run the risk of dying 7s 
the death of a traitor!" 

' See Notes. « Swordsman, soldier. 



112 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

" Heaven will protect its own servant, madam," said 
Catherine Seyton ; " his aid would bring a blessing on our 
undertaking, were it not already blest for its own sake." 

"And now for the signal from the shore," exclaimed So 
Catherine ; " my bosom tells me we shall see this night 
two lights instead of one gleam from that garden of 
Eden. And then, Roland, do you play your part man- 
fully, and we will dance on the greensward like mid- 
night fairies!" 85 

Catherine's conjecture misgave not, nor deceived her. 
In the evening two beams twinkled from the cottage in- 
stead of one; and the page heard, with beating heart, 
that the new retainer was ordered to stand sentinel on 
the outside of the castle. When he intimated this news 9° 
to the queen, she held her hand out to him — he knelt, 
and when he raised it to his lips in all dutiful homage 
he found it was damp and cold as marble. " For God's 
sake, madam, droop not now — sink not now!" 

" Call upon our Lady, my liege," said the Lady Flem- 95 
ing — "call upon your tutelar saint." 

"Call the spirits of the hundred kings you are de- 
scended from," exclaimed the page; "in this hour of 
need, the resolution of a monarch were worth the aid 
of a hundred saints." 100 

" O, Roland Gramme," said Mary, in a tone of deep 
despondency, " be true to me — many have been false to 
me! Alas! I have not always been true to myself My 
mind misgives me that I shall die in bondage, and that 
this bold attempt will cost all our lives. It was fore- 105 
told me by a soothsayer* in France that I should die in 
prison and by a violent death, and here comes the hour 
— O, would to God it found me prepared !" 
' Fortune-teller, 



ESCAPE OF MARY. 113 

"Madam," said Catherine Seyton, "remember you 
are a queen. Better we all died in bravely attempting no 
to gain our freedom than remain here to be poisoned, 
as men rid them of the noxious vermin that haunt old 
houses." 

"You are right, Catherine," said the queen; "and 
Mary will bear her like herself. But, alas! your young 115 
and buoyant spirit can ill spell' the causes which have 
broken mine. Forgive me, my children, and farewell 
for a while — I will prepare both mind and body for this 
awful venture." 

The keys had, with the wonted ceremonial, been pre- 120 
sented to the Lady Lochleven. She stood with her 
back to the casement, which, like that of the queen's 
apartment, commanded a view of Kinross, with the 
church which stands at some distance from the town 
and nearer to the lake, then connected with the town by 125 
straggling cottages. With her back to this casement, 
then, and her face to the table, on which the keys lay 
for an instant while she tasted the various dishes which 
were placed there, stood the Lady of Lochleven, more 
provokingly intent than usual — so at least it seemed to 130 
her prisoners — upon the huge and heavy bunch of iron, 
the implements of their restraint. Just when, having 
finished her ceremony as taster of the queen's table, 
she was about to take up the keys, the page who stood 
beside her, and had handed her the dishes in succession, 135 
looked sideways to the churchyard and exclaimed he 
saw corpse-candles '^ in the churchyard. The Lady of 
Lochleven was not without a touch, though a slight one, 
of the superstitions of the time ; the fate of her sons 
made her alive to omens, and a corpse-light, as it was 140 

> Understand. ^ ^hg Will-o'-the-wisp. See Notes. 

8 



114 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

called, in the family burial-place, boded death. She 
turned her head towards the casement — saw a distant 
glimmering — forgot her charge for one second, and in 
that second were lost the whole fruits of her former 
vigilance. The page held the forged keys under his ms 
cloak, and with great dexterity exchanged them for the 
real ones. His utmost address* could not prevent a 
slight clash as he took up the latter bunch. "AVho 
touches the keys?" said the lady; and while the page 
answered that the sleeve of his cloak had stirred them, 150 
she looked round, possessed herself of the bunch which 
now occupied the place of the genuine keys, and again 
turned to gaze on the supposed corpse-candles. 

" I hold these gleams," she said, after a moment's 
consideration, "to come, not from the churchyard, but 155 
from the hut of the old gardener Blinkhoolie. I wonder 
what thrift that churl drives, that of late he hath ever 
had light in his house till the night grew deep. I 
thought him an industrious, peaceful man. If he turns 
resetter^ of idle companions and night-walkers, the 160 
place must be rid of him." 

" He may work his baskets, perchance," said the page, 
desirous to stop the train of her suspicion. 

"Or nets, may he not?" answered the lady. 

"Ay, madam," said Roland, "for trout and salmon." 165 

" Or for fools and knaves," replied the lady ; " but this 
shall be looked after to-morrow. I wish your grace and 
your company a good evening. Randal, attend us." 
And Randal, who waited in the ante-chamber after hav- 
ing surrendered his bunch of keys, gave his escort to 170 
his mistress as usual, while, leaving the queen's apart- 
ments, she retired to her own. 

' Skill, dexterity. ' Receiver, harborer. 



ESCAPE OF MARY. 



115 



"We have but brief time," said Queen Mary; "one 
of the two lights in the cottage is extinguished — that 
shows the boat is put off." 175 

"They will row very slow," said the page, "or kent' 
where depth permits, to avoid noise. To our several 
tasks — I will communicate with the good father." • 

At the dead hour of midnight, when all was silent in 
the castle, the page put the key into the lock of the 180 
wicket which opened into the garden, and which was 
at the bottom of a staircase which descended from the 
queen's apartment. " Now, turn smooth and softly, thou 
good bolt," said he, "if ever oil softened rust!" and his 
precautions had been so effectual that the bolt revolved 185 
with little or no sound of resistance. He ventured not 
to cross the threshold, but, exchanging a word with the 
disguised abbot, asked if the boat were ready? 

"This half-hour," said the sentinel. "She lies be- 
neath the wall, too close under the islet to be seen by 190 
the warder, but I fear she will hardly escape his notice 
in putting off again." 

" The darkness," said the page, " and our profound 
silence, may take her off unobserved, as she came in. 
Hildebrand has the watch on the tower — a heavy- 19s 
headed^ knave, who holds a can of ale to be the best 
headpiece upon a night-watch. He sleeps for a wager." 

"Then bring the queen," said the abbot, "and I will 
call Henry Seyton to assist them to the boat." 

On tiptoe, with noiseless step and suppressed breath, 200 
trembling at every rustle of their own apparel, one after 
another the fair prisoners glided down the winding 
stair; the queen, her native spirit prevailing over female 

' Propel the boat by pushing with a pole against the bottom of 
the lake. . ' Dull, stupid. 



Il6 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

fear and a thousand painful reflections, moved steadily 
forward, by the assistance of Henry Seylon — while the 205 
Lady Fleming encumbered with her fears and her help- 
lessness Roland Grceme, who followed in the rear, and 
who bore under the other arm a packet of necessaries 
belon*;ing to the queen. The door of the garden, which 
communicated with the shore of the islet, yielded to one 210 
of the keys of which Roland had possessed himself, al- 
though not until he had tried several — a moment of 
anxious terror and expectation. The ladies were then 
partly led, partly carried, to the side of the lake, where 
a boat with six rowers attended them, the men couched 215 
along the bottom to secure them from observation. 
Henry Seyton placed the queen in the stern ; the abbot 
offered to assist Catherine, but she was seated by the 
queen's side before he could utter his proffer of help ; 
and Roland Grasme was just lifting Lady Fleming overaao 
the boat-side when a thought suddenly occurred to him, 
and exclaiming, "Forgotten, forgotten! wait for me but 
one half-minute," he replaced on the shore the helpless 
lady of the bed-chamber, threw the queen's packet into 
the boat, and sped back through the garden with the 225 
noiseless speed of a bird on the wing. 

"Put off — put off!" cried Henry Seyton; "leave all 
behind, so the queen is safe." 

"Will you permit this, madam?" said Catherine, im- 
ploringly; "you leave your deliverer to death." 330 

" I will not," said the queen. " Seyton, I command 
you to stay at every risk." 

" Pardon me, madam, if I disobey," said the intrac- 
table youtig man ; and, with one hand lifting in Lady 
Fleming, he began himself to push off the boat. 235 

She was two fathoms' length from the shore, and the 



ESCAPE OF MARY. ^y 

rowers were getting her head round, when Roland 
Graeme, arriving, bounded from the beach and attained 
the boat. 

"Why did ye not muffle the oars?" said Roland 240 
Graeme ; *' the dash must awaken the sentinel. Row, 
lads, and get out of reach of shot; for had not old Hil- 
debrand, the warder, supped upon poppy-porridge, this 
whispering must have waked him." 

" It was all thine own delay," said Seyton ; " thou 245 
shalt reckon with me hereafter for that and other mat- 
ters." 

But Roland's apprehension was verified too instantly 
to permit him to reply. The sentinel, whose slumbering 
had withstood the whispering, was alarmed by the dash 250 
of the oars. His challenge was instantly heard. " A 
boat — a boat! bring to, or I shoot!" And as they con- 
tinued to ply their oars, he called aloud, " Treason ! 
treason !" rung the bell of the castle, and discharged 
his harquebuss' at the boat. The ladies crowded on 255 
each other like startled wild-fowl at the flash and re- 
port of the piece, while the men urged the rowers to the 
utmost speed. They heard more than one ball whiz 
along the surface of the lake, at no great distance from 
their little bark ; and from the lights, which gleamed 260 
like meteors from window to window, it was evident the 
whole castle was alarmed and their escape discovered. 

" Pull !" again exclaimed Seyton ; " stretch to your 
oars, or I will spur you to the task with my dagger — 
they will launch a boat immediately." 265 

"That is cared for," said Roland; "I locked gate 
and wicket on them when I went back, and no boat will 
stir from the island this night, if doors of good oak and 
' A kind of musket. 



Il8 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

bolts of iron can keep men within stone walls. And 
now I resign my office of porter of Lochleven, and give 270 
the keys to Kelpie's' keeping." 

As the heavy keys plunged in the lake, the abbot, 
who till then had been repeating his prayers, exclaimed, 
" Now, bless thee, my son ! for thy ready prudence puts 
shame on us all." 275 

" I knew," said Mary, drawing her breath more free- 
ly, as they were now out of reach of the musketry — 
** I knew my squire's truth, promptitude, and sagacity. 
— I must have him dear friends with my no less true 
knights, Douglas and Seyton — but where, then, is Doug- 280 
las?" 

" Here, madam," said the deep and melancholy voice 
of the boatman who sat next her, and who acted as 
steersman. 

" Alas ! was it you who stretched your body before 285 
me," said the queen, " when the balls were raining around 
us?" 

" Believe you," said he, in a low tone, " that Douglas 
would have resigned to any one the chance of protect- 
ing his queen's life with his own?" 290 

The dialogue was here interrupted by a shot or two 
from one of those small pieces of artillery called falco- 
nets, then used in defending castles. The shot was too 
vague to have any effect, but the broader flash, the deep- 
er sound, the louder return which was made by the mid- 295 
night echoes of Bennarty,^ terrified and imposed silence 
on the liberated prisoners. The boat was alongside of 
a rude quay or landing-place, running out from a garden 
of considerable extent, ere any of them again attempted 

' A water-spirit. 

- Ben-nar'-ty ; a hill about a mile to the south of Lochleven. 



ESCAPE OF MARY. 



119 



to speak. They landed, and while the abbot returned 300 
thanks aloud to Heaven, which had thus far favored 
their enterprise, Douglas enjoyed the best reward of his 
desperate undertaking, in conducting the queen to the 
house of the ^rardener. 




PALACE OF LINLITHGOW— QUEEN MARY'S BIRTHPLACE. 



QUEEN MARY'S ESCAPE FROM LOCHLEVEN. 

By Robert Allan. 

Put off, put off, and row with speed, 

For now's the lime, and the hour of need ! 

To oars, to oars, and trim the bark, 

Nor Scotland's queen be a warder's mark ! 

Yon light that plays round the castle moat 

Is only the warder's random shot ; 

Put off, put off, and row with speed, 

P'or now is the time, and the hour of need ! 

These ponderous keys shall the Kelpies keep, 
And lodge in their caverns dark and deep ; 
Nor shall Lochleven's towers or hall 
Hold thee, our lovely lady, in thrall. 
Or be the haunt of traitors sold, 
While Scotland has hands and hearts so bold ! 
Then, steersman, steersman, on with speed, 
For now is the time, and the hour of need ! 

Hark! the alarum-bell hath rung, 

And the warder's voice hath treason sung; 

The echoes to the falconet's roar 

Chime softly to the dashing oar. 

Let tower and hall and battlements gleam. 

We steer by the light of the taper's beam ; 

For Scotland and Mary, on with speed ! 

Now, now is the time, and the hour of need I 




Bv Inverlochv's shore. 



THE EXECUTION OF MONTROSE. 

By William Edmondstoune Aytoun. 

Come hither, Evan Cameron ! 

Come, stand beside my knee — 
I hear the river roaring down 

Towards the wintry sea. 
There 's shouting on the mountain-side, 

There 's war within the blast — 
Old faces look upon me. 

Old forms go trooping past. 
I hear the pibroch' wailing 

Amidst the din of fight. 
And my dim spirit wakes again 

Upon the verge of night. 

' Bigpipe. See A'otes. 



2 2 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

'T was I that led the Highland host 

Through wild Lochaber's* snows, 
What time the plaided clans came down ^^ 

To battle with Montrose. 
I 've told thee how the Southrons fell 

Beneath the broad claymore,' 
And how we smote the Campbell clan 

By Inverlochy's^ shore. =^° 

I 've told thee how we swept Dundee, 

And tamed the Lindsays' pride, 
But never have I told thee yet 

How the great marquis died. 

A traitor sold him to his foes, — 25 

O deed of deathless shame ! 
I charge thee, boy, if e'er thou meet 

With one of Assynt's* name — 
Be it upon the mountain's side, 

Or yet within the glen, 3° 

Stand he in martial gear alone, 

Or backed by armed men — 
Face him, as thou wouldst face the man 

Who wronged thy sire's renown ! 
Remember of what blood thou art, 35 

And strike the caitiff down ! 

They brought him to the Watergate, 

Hard bound with hempen span, 
As though they held a lion there, 

And not a fenceless man. 40 

^ Loch-a'-ber's {a as in aJi). - A large two-handed sword. 

^ In-ver-loch'-y's (ck like k). * As'-synt's. 



123 



THE EXECUTION OF MONTROSE. 

They set him high upon a cart — 

The hangman rode below — 
They drew his hands behind his back, 

And bared his noble brow. 
Then, as a hound is slipped ^ from leash,^ ^3 

They cheered the common throng. 
And blew the note with yell and shout, 

And bade him pass along. 

It would have made a brave man's heart 

Grow sad and sick that day, 50 

To watch the keen malignant eyes 

Bent down on that array. 
There stood the Whig west-country lords 

In balcony and bow,^ 
There sat their gaunt and withered dames, 55 

And their daughters all a-row ; * 
And every open window 

Was full as full might be 
With black-robed Covenanting carles,* 

That goodly sport to see ! 60 

But when he came, though pale and wan, 

He looked so great and high, 
So noble was his manly front. 

So calm his steadfast eye, 
The rabble rout forbore to shout, 65 

And each man held his breath. 
For well they knew the hero's soul 

Was face to face with death. 

' Let loose. - The thong by which the hound is held. 

^ Bow-window. •* In a row. 

' Chudb, rude fellows. See N'otes, 



124 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

And then a mournful shudder 

Through all the people crept, 7° 

And some that came to scoff at him 

Now turned aside and wept. 

But onward, always onward, 

In silence and in gloom. 
The dreary pageant labored, ^^ 

Till it reached the house of doom. 
Then first a woman's voice was heard 

In jeer and laughter loud, 
And an angry cry and a hiss arose 

From the heart of the tossing crowd; So 

Then, as the Graeme looked upwards, 

He saw the ugly smile 
Of him who sold his king for gold — 

The master-fiend Argyle! 

The marquis gazed a moment, g 

And nothing did he say. 
But the cheek of Argyle grew ghastly pale, 

And he turned his eyes away. 
The painted harlot by his side. 

She shook through every limb, ^o 

For a roar like thunder swept the street, 

And hands were clenched at him ; 
And a Saxon soldier cried aloud, 

"Back, coward, from thy place! 
For seven long years thou hast not dared 

To look him in the face." 

Had I been there with sword in hand, 

And fifty Camerons b}', 
That day through high Dunedin's streets 

Had pealed the slogan-cry. 



95 




^^ii!i!li.jiiiiiilM 



126 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

Not all their troops of trampling horse, 

Nor might of mailed men — 
Not all the rebels in the south 

Had borne us backwards then ! 
Once more his foot on Highland heath 

Had trod as free as air, 
Or I, and all who bore my name, 

Been laid around him there. 



It might not be. They placed him next 

Within the solemn hall, 
Where once the Scottish kings were throned 

Amidst their nobles all. 
But there was dust of vulgar feet 

On that polluted floor. 
And perjured traitors filled the place 

Where good men sat before. 
With savage glee came Warrisloun * 

To read the murderous doom ; 
And then uprose the great Montrose 

In the middle of the room. 

" Now by my faith as belted knight, 

And by the name I bear, 
And by the bright Saint Andrew's cross 

That waves above us there — 
Yea, by a greater, mightier oath — 

And O, that such should be! — 
By that dark stream of royal blood 

That lies 'twixt you and me — 
I have not sought in battle-field 

A wreath of such renown, 

' War'-ris-toun (-tun). 



THE EXECUTION OF MONTROSE. joy 

Nor dared I hope on my dying day 
To win the martyr's crown! 

"There is a chamber far away 

Where sleep the good and brave, 
But a better place ye have named for me 135 

Than by my father's grave. 
For truth and right, 'gainst treason's might, 

This hand hath always striven, 
And ye raise it up for a witness still 

In the eye of earth and heaven. '4° 

Then nail my head on yonder tower, 

Give every town a limb — 
And God who made shall gather them : 

I go from you to Him !" 

The morning dawned full darkly, 145 

The rain came flashing down. 
And the jagged streak of the levin-bolt' 

Lit up the gloomy town ; 
The thunder crashed across the heaven, 

The fatal hour was come ; 150 

Yet aye broke in, with muffled beat, 

The 'larum of the drum. 
There was madness on the earth below 

And anger in the sky, 
And young and old, and rich and poor, 155 

Came forth to see him die. 

Ah, God ! that ghastly gibbet ! 

How dismal 't is to see 
The great tall spectral skeleton. 

The ladder and the tree! 160 

' Lightning. 



28 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

Hark! hark! it is the clash of arms — 

The bells begin to toll — 
" He is coming! he is coming! 

God's mercy on his soul!" 
One last long peal of thunder — 165 

The clouds are cleared avva}', 
And the glorious sun once more looks down 

Amidst the dazzling day. 

"He is coming! he is coming!" 

Like a bridegroom from his room, ,70 

Came the hero from his prison 

To the scaffold and the doom. 
There was glory on his forehead, 

There was lustre in his eye, 
And he never walked to battle 175 

More proudly than to die; 
There was color in his visage, 

Though the checks of all were wan, 
And they marvelled as they saw him pass. 

That great and goodly man ! ,80 

He mounted up the scaffold. 

And he turned him to the crowd ; 
But they dared not trust the people. 

So he might not speak aloud. 
But he looked upon the heavens, 185 

And they were clear and blue, 
And in the liquid ether 

The eye of God shone through! 
Yet a black and murky battlement 

Lay resting on the hill, 190 

As though the thunder slept within — 

All else was calm and still. 



THE EXECUTION OF MONTROSE. 



129 



The grim Geneva ministers 

With anxious scowl drew near, 
As you have seen the ravens flock 19s 

Around the dying deer. 
He would not deign them word nor sign, 

But alone he bent the knee, 
And veiled his face for Christ's dear grace 

Beneath the gallows-tree. 200 

Then radiant and serene he rose, 

And cast his cloak away; 
For he had ta'en his latest look 

Of earth and sun and day. 

A beam of light fell o'er him, 205 

Like a glory round the shriven,' 
And he climbed the lofty ladder 

As it were the path to heaven. 
Then came a flash from out the cloud. 

And a stunning thunder-roll; 210 

And no man dared to look aloft. 

For fear was on every soul. 
There was another heavy sound, 

A hush and then a groan ; 
And darkness swept across the sky — ' 315 

The work of death was done! 
One who has made confession and received absolution. 




AUTOGRAPH OF MONTROSE. 



KILLIECRANKIE' AND THE DEATH OF 
DUNDEE. 

By Sir Walter Scott. 

Dundee resolved to preserve the castle of Blair, so 
important as a key to the Northern Highlands, and 
marched to protect it with a body of about two thousand 
Highlanders, with whom he occupied the upper and 
northern extremity of the pass between Dunkeld and s 
Blair. 

In this celebrated defile, called the Pass of Killie- 
crankie, the road runs for several miles along the banks 
of a furious river, called the Garry, which ranges below, 
amongst cataracts and waterfalls which the eye can lo 
scarcely discern, while a series of jirecipices and wooded 
mountains rise on the other hand; the road itself is the 
only mode of access through the glen, and along the 
valley which lies at its northern extremity. The path 
was then much more inaccessible than at the present 15 
day, as it ran close to the bed of the river and was now 
narrower and more rudely formed. 

A defile of such difficulty was capable of being de- 
fended to the last extremity by a small number against 
a considerable army ; and, considering how well adapted 20 
his followers were for such mountain warfare, many of 
the Highland chiefs were of opinion that Dundee ought 
to content himself with guarding the pass against Mac- 
' Kill-ie-crank'-ie {ie as /). 



KILLIE CRANK IE. 



131 



Kay's superior army, until a rendezvous, which they had 
appointed, should assemble a stronger force of their 25 
countrymen. But Dundee was of a different opinion, 
and resolved to suffer MacKay to march through the 
pass without opposition, and then to fight him in the 
open valley, at the northern extremity. He chose this 
bold measure, both because it promised a decisive result 30 
to the combat which his ardent temper desired, and 
also because he preferred fighting MacKay before that 
general was joined by a considerable body of English 
horse who were expected, and of whom the Highlanders 
had at that time some dread. 35 

On the 17th June, 1689, General MacKay with his 
troops entered the pass, which, to their astonishment, 
they found unoccupied by the enemy. His forces were 
partly English and Dutch regiments, who, with many of 
the Lowland Scots themselves, were struck with awe, 40 
and even fear, at finding themselves introduced by such 
a magnificent, and, at the same time, formidable avenue 
to the presence of their enemies, the inhabitants of these 
tremendous mountains, into whose recesses they were 
penetrating. But besides the effect produced on their 45 
minds by the magnificence of natural scenery, to which 
they were wholly unaccustomed, the consideration must 
have hung heavy on them that, if a general of Dundee's 
talents suffered them to march unopposed through a 
pass so difficult, it must be because he was conscious 5° 
of possessing strength sufficient to attack and destroy 
them at the further extremity, when their only retreat 
would lie through the narrow and perilous path by 
which they were now advancing. 

Midday was past ere MacKay's men were extricated ss 
from the defile, when their general drew them up in one 



132 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

line three deep, without any reserve, along the southern 
extremity of the narrow valley into which the pass 
opens. A hill on the north side of the valley, covered 
with dwarf trees and bushes, formed the position of 60 
Dundee's army, which, divided into columns, formed by 
the different clans, was greatly outflanked by MacKay's 
troops. 

The armies shouted when they came in sight of each 
other; but the enthusiasm of MacKay's soldiers being 65 
damped by the circumstances we have observed, their 
military shout made but a dull and sullen sound com- 
pared to the yell of the Highlanders, which rang far and 
shrill from all the hills around them. Sir Evan Cam- 
eron of Lochier called on those around him to attend 7° 
to this circumstance, saying that in all his battles he 
observed victory had ever been on the side of those 
whose shout before joining seemed most sprightly and 
confident. It was accounted a less favorable augury 
by some of the old Highlanders that Dundee at this 75 
moment, to render his person less distinguishable, put 
on a sad-colored^ buff-coat above the scarlet cassock^ 
and bright cuirass* in which he had hitherto appeared. 

It was some time ere Dundee had completed his 
preparations for the assault which he meditated, and 80 
only a few dropping shots were exchanged, while, in or- 
der to prevent the risk of being outflanked, he increased 
the intervals between the columns with which he de- 
signed to charge, insomuch that he had scarce men 
enough left in the centre. About an hour before sun- 85 
set, he sent word to MacKay that he was about to at- 
tack him, and gave the signal to charge. 

' Pronounced I.o-keel'. ^ Dull or dark in color. 

3 A kind of frock-coat. * Breast-plate. See Notes. 



KILLIECRANKIE. 133 

The Highlanders stripped themselves to their shirts 
and doublets, threw away everything that could impede 
the fury of their onset, and then put themselves in mo- 9° 
tion, accompanying with a dreadful yell the discordant 
sound of their war-pipes. As they advanced, the clans- 
men fired their pieces, each column thus pouring in a 
well-aimed though irregular volley; then throwing down 
their fusees,' without waiting to reload, they drew their 95 
swords, and, increasing their pace to the utmost speed, 
pierced through and broke the thin line which was op- 
posed to them, and profited by their superior activity 
and the nature of their weapons to make a great havoc 
among the regular troops. AVhen thus mingled with 100 
each other, hand to hand, the advantages of superior 
discipline on the part of the Lowland soldier were lost 
— agility and strength were on the side of the moun- 
taineers. Some accounts of the battle give a terrific 
account of the blows struck by the Highlanders, which 105 
cleft heads down to the breast, cut steel headpieces 
asunder as night-caps, and slashed through pikes like 
willows. Two of MacKay's English regiments in the 
centre stood fast, the interval between the attacking col- 
umns being so great that none were placed opposite to no 
them. The rest of King William's army were totally 
routed and driven headlong into the river. 

Dundee himself, contrary to the advice of the High- 
land chiefs, was in front of the battle and fatally con- 
spicuous. By a desperate attack he possessed himself ns 
of MacKay's artillery, and then led his handful of cav- 
alry, about fifty men, against two troops of horse, which 
fled without fighting. Observing the stand made by the 
two English regiments already mentioned, he galloped 
^ Muskets. 



134 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

towards the clan of MacDonald, and was in the act of 120 
bringing them to the charge, with his right arm elevated, 
as if pointing the way to victory, when he was struck by 
a bullet beneath the armpit, where he was unprotected 
by his cuirass. He tried to ride on, but, being unable 
to keep the saddle, fell mortally wounded and died in "s 
the course of the night. 






AUTOGRAPH OF DUNDEE. 



THE BURIAL-MARCH OF DUNDEE. 
By William Edmundstoune Aytoun. 

Sound the fife, and cry the slogan* — 

Let the pibroch'' shake the air 
With its wild triumphal music, * 

Worthy of the freight we bear. 
Let the ancient hills of Scotland 

Hear once more the battle-song 
Swell within their glens and valleys 

As the clansmen march along! 
Never from the field of combat, 

Never from the deadly fray, 
Was a nobler trophy carried 

Than we bring with us to-day; 
Never since the valiant Douglas^ 

On his dauntless bosom bore 
Good King Robert's heart — the priceless — 

To our dear Redeemer's shore ! 
Lo! we bring with us the hero — 

Lo! we bring the conquering Graeme, 
Crowned as best beseems a victor 

From the altar of his fame; 
Fresh and bleeding from the battle 

Whence his spirit took its flight. 
Midst the crashing charge of squadrons 

And the thunder of the fight! 

* The Highland battle-cry. * The bagpipe. See Notes, 

^ See page 38. * Pronounced Grame. 



136 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

Strike, I say, the notes of triumph, 25 

As we march o'er moor and lea! 
Is there any here will venture 

To bewail our dead Dundee? 
Let the widows of the traitors 

Weep until their eyes are dim ! 30 

Wail ye may full well for Scotland — 

Let none dare to mourn for him I 
See ! above his glorious body 

Lies the royal banner's fold — 
Seei his valiant blood is mingled 35 

With its crimson and its gold — 
See how calm he looks, and stately, 

Like a warrior on his shield, 
Waiting till the flush of morning 

Breaks along the battle-field ! 40 

See — O, never more, my comrades, 

Shall we see that falcon eye 
Redden with its inward lightning, 

As the hour of fight drew nigh! 
Never shall we hear the voice that, 45 

Clearer than the trumpet's call, 
Bade us strike for king and country, 

Bade us win the field or fall ! 
On the heights of Killiecrankie 

Yester-morn our army lay; 50 

Slowly rose the mist in columns 

From the river's broken way ; 
Hoarsely roared the swollen torrent, 

And the pass was wrapped in gloom, 
When the clansmen rose together 55 

From their lair amidst the broom. 



THE BURIAL-MARCH OF DUNDEE. 



137 



Then we belted on our tartans, 

And our bonnets down we drew, 
And we felt our broadswords' edges, 

And we proved them to be true ; 60 

And we prayed the prayer of soldiers, 

And we cried the gathering-cry, 
And we clasped the hands of kinsmen, 

And we swore to do or die ! 
Then our leader rode before us 65 

On his war-horse black as night — 
Well the Cameronian rebels 

Knew that charger in the fight ! — 
And a cry of exultation 

From the bearded warriors rose ; 70 

For we loved the house of Claver'se,' 

And we thought of good Montrose.'^ 
But he raised his hand for silence — 

"Soldiers! I have sworn a vow: 
Ere the evening star shall glisten 75 

On Schehallion's' lofty brow, 
Either we shall rest in triumph, 

Or another of the Graemes 
Shall have died in battle-harness 

For his country and King James! 80 

Think upon the Royal Martyr — 

Think of what his race endure; 
Think on him whom butchers murdered 

On the field of Magus Muir:* — 
By his sacred blood I charge ye, 85 

By the ruined hearth and shrine — 

' Ciav'-erse ; a contraction of Claverhousc. ^ See page 121. 

^ vShe-hal'-yun ; a mountain in Perthshire. 

* Magus Moor, near St. Andrews, Fifeshire. See Notes. 



138 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

By the blighted hopes of Scotland, 

By your injuries and mine — 
Strike this day as if the anvil 

Lay beneath your blows the while, 90 

Be they Covenanting traitors 

Or the brood of false Argyle ! 
Strike! and drive the trembling rebels 

Backwards o'er the stormy Forth ; 
Let them tell their pale Convention 95 

How they fared within the North. 
Let them tell that Highland honor 

Is not to be bought nor sold, 
That we scorn their prince's anger 

As we loathe his foreign gold. 100 

Strike ! and when the fight is over, 

If you look in vain for me, 
Where the dead are lying thickest 

Search for him that was Dundee!" 
Loudly then the hills re-echoed 105 

With our answer to his call, 
But a deeper echo sounded 

In the bosoms of us all. 
For the lands of wide Breadalbane,* 

Not a man who heard him speak "o 

Would that day have left the batde. 

Burning eye and flushing cheek 
Told the clansmen's fierce emotion. 

And they harder drew their breath ; 
For their souls were strong within them, "5 

Stronger than the grasp of death. 
Soon we heard a challenge-trumpet 

Sounding in the pass below, 
' lired-al'-bane. 



THE BURIAL-MARCH OF DUNDEE. 139 

And the distant tramp of horses, 

And the voices of the foe ; 120 

Down we crouched amid the bracken 

Till the Lowland ranks drew near, 
Panting like the hounds in summer 

When they scent the stately deer. 
From the dark defile emerging, ,25 

Next we saw the squadrons come, 
Leslie's foot and Leven's troopers 

Marching to the tuck' of drum; 
Through the scattered wood of birches, 

O'er the broken ground and heath, 130 

Wound the long battalion slowly 

Till they gained the field beneath ; 
Then we bounded from our covert, — 

Judge how looked the Saxons then. 
When they saw the rugged mountain 135 

Start to life with armbd men ! 
Like a tempest down the ridges 

Swept the hurricane of steel. 
Rose the slogan of Macdonald, 

Flashed the broadsword of Locheill!^ 140 

Vainly sped the withering volley 

'Mongst the foremost of our band — 
On we poured until we met them, 

Foot to foot and hand to hand. 
Horse and man went down like driftwood 145 

When the floods are black at Yule,^ 
And their carcasses are whirling 

In the Garry's deepest pool, 
Korse and man went down before us — 

Living foe there tarried none 150 

Beat. * Ld-keel'. ' Christmas. 



I40 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY, 

On the field of Killiecrankie 

When that stubborn fight was done ! 
And the evening star was shining 

On Schehallion's distant head 
When we wiped our bloody broadswords 155 

And returned to count the dead. 
There we found him gashed and gory, 

Stretched upon the cumbered plain, 
As he told us where to seek him, 

In the thickest of the slain. 160 

And a smile was on his visage, 

For within his dying ear 
Pealed the joyful note of triumph 

And the clansmen's clamorous cheer; 
So, amidst the battle's thunder, 165 

Shot, and steel, and scorching flame, 
In the glory of his manhood 

Passed the spirit of the Graeme! 

Open wide the vaults of Athol,' 

Where the bones of heroes rest — 170 

Open wide the hallowed portals 

To receive another guest! 
Last of Scots, and last of freemen — 

Last of all that dauntless race 
Who would rather die unsullied 175 

Than outlive the land's disgrace! 
O thou lion-hearted warrior, 

Reck not of the after-time ! 
Honor may be deemed dishonor, 

Loyalty be called a crime. iSo 

Sleep in peace with kindred ashes 

Of the noble and the true, 
' A'-thol {a as in ah). 



THE BURIAL-MARCH OF DUNDEE. 141 

Hands that never failed their country, 

Hearts that never baseness knew. 
Sleep! — and till the latest trumpet 

Wakes the dead from earth and sea, 
Scotland shall not boast a braver 

Chieftain than our own Dundee! 



i8s 




ARCHBISHOP SHARPE. 




ROB ROY MACGRHGOR. 



ROB ROY. 
By Sir Walter Scott. 

Rob Roy MacGregor Campbell, which last name he 
bore in consequence of the acts of Parliament abolish- 
ing his own, was the younger son of Donald MacGregor 
of Glengyle,* said to have been a lieutenant- colonel 
(probably in the service of James 11. ), by his wife, a 5 
daughter of Campbell of Glenfalloch.' Rob's own des- 
ignation was of Inversnaid;^ but he appears to have 
acquired a right of some kind or other to the property 
or possession of Craig-Royston, a domain of rock and 
forest lying on the east side of Loch Lomond, where 10 

' Glen-gyle'. ' Glen-fal'-loch. ' In'-ver-snaid. 



ROB ROY. j^^ 

that beautiful lake stretches into the dusky mountains 
of Glenfalloch. 

The time of his birth is uncertain. But he is said 
to have been active in the scenes of war and plunder 
which succeeded the Revolution; and tradition affirms 15 
him to have been the leader in a predatory' incursion 
into the parish of Kippen, in the Lennox, which took 
place in the year 1691. It was of almost a blood- 
less character, only one person losing his life; but 
from the extent of the depredation it was long distin-20 
guished by the name of the Her'-ship, or devastation, 
of Kippen. The time of his death is also uncertain, 
but as he is said to have survived the year 1733, ^"d 
died an aged man, it is probable he may have been 
twenty-five about the time of the Her'-ship of Kippen, 25 
which would assign his birth to the middle of the 17th 
century. 

In the more quiet times which succeeded the Revo- 
lution, Rob Roy, or Red Robert, seems to have exerted 
his active talents, which were of no mean order, as a 30 
drover, or trader in cattle, to a great extent. It may 
well be supposed that in those days no Lowland, much 
less English drovers, ventured to enter the Highlands. 
The cattle, which were the staple commodity of the 
mountains, were escorted down to fairs, on the borders 35 
of the Lowlands, by a party of Highlanders, with their 
arms rattling around them ; and who dealt, however, in 
all honor and good faith with their Southern customers. 
A fray, indeed, would sometimes arise, when the Low- 
landmen, chiefly Borderers, who had to supply the Eng-40 
lish market, used to dip their bonnets in the next brook 
and, wrapping them round their hands, oppose their 
' Plundering. 



144 



TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 



cudgels to the naked broadswords, which had not 
always the superiority. 

His importance was increased by the death of his 45 
father, in consequence of which he succeeded to the 
management of his nephew Gregor MacGregor of 
Glengyle's property, and, as his tutor, to such influence 
with the clan and following as was due to the repre- 
sentative of Dougal Ciar. Such influence was the more so 
uncontrolled, that this family of the MacGregors seem 
to have refused adherence to MacGregor of Glencar- 
nock,' the ancestor of the present Sir Ewan MacGregor, 
and asserted a kind of independence. 

It was at this time that Rob Roy acquired an interest ss 
by purchase, wadset,^ or otherwise, to the property of 
Craig-Royston, already mentioned. He was in partic- 
ular favor during this prosperous period of his life with 
his nearest and most powerful neighbor, James, first 
Duke of Montrose, from whom he received many marks 60 
of regard. His grace consented to give his nephew and 
himself a right of property on the estates of Giengyle 
and Inversnaid, which they had till then only held as 
kindly tenants.^ The duke, also, with a view to the in- 
terest of the country and his own estate, supported our 65 
adventurer by loans of money to a considerable amount, 
to enable him to carry on his speculations in the cattle 
trade. 

Unfortunately, that species of commerce was and is 
liable to sudden fluctuations ; and Rob Roy was — by a 70 
sudden depression of markets, and, as a friendly tradi- 
tion adds, by the bad faith of a partner named Mac- 
Donald, whom he had imprudently received into his 

' Glen-car'-nock. '■' A kind of mortgage. 

^ Tenants whose ancestors have been long residents on the lands. 



ROB ROY. J45 

confidence and intrusted with a considerable sum of 
money — rendered totally insolvent. He absconded, of 75 
course — not empty-handed, if it be true, as stated in an 
advertisement for his apprehension, that he had in his 
possession sums to the amount of ;^iooo sterling, ob- 
tained from several noblemen and gentlemen under 
pretence of purchasing cows for them in the Highlands. 80 
This advertisement appeared in June, 1712, and was 
several times repeated. It fixes the period when Rob 
Roy exchanged his commercial adventures for specula- 
tions of a very different complexion. 

He appears at this period first to have removed from 8s 
his ordinary dwelling at Inversnaid, ten or twelve Scots 
miles (which is double the number of English) farther 
into the Highlands, and commenced the lawless sort of 
life which he afterwards followed. The Duke of Mont- 
rose, who conceived himself deceived and cheated by 9° 
MacGregor's conduct, employed legal means to recover 
the money lent to him. Rob Roy's landed property was 
attached by the regular form of legal procedure, and his 
stock and furniture made the subject of arrest and sale. 

It is said that this diligence of the law, as it is called 95 
in Scotland, which the English more bluntly term dis- 
tress, was used in this case with uncommon severity, 
and that the legal satellites,^ not usually the gentlest 
persons in the world, had insulted MacGregor's wife in 
a manner which would have aroused a milder man than 100 
he to thoughts of unbounded vengeance. She was a 
woman of fierce and haughty temper, and is not unlike- 
ly to have disturbed the officers in the execution of their 
duty and thus to have incurred ill-treatment, though, for 
the sake of humanity, it is to be hoped that the story 105 
' Attendants, subordinate officers. 
10 



146 



TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 



sometimes told is a popular exaggeration. It is certain 
that she felt extreme anguish at being expelled from the 
banks of Loch Lomond, and gave vent to her feelings 
in a fine piece of pipe-music, still well known to ama- 
teurs by the name of " Rob Roy's Lament." no 

The fugitive is thought to have found his first place 
of refuge in Glen Dochart,' under the Earl of Breadal- 
bane's' protection ; for though that family had been 
active agents in the destruction of the MacGregors in 
former times, they had of late years sheltered a great 115 
many of the name in their old possessions. The Duke 
of Argyle was also one of Rob Roy's protectors, so far 
as to afford him, according to the Highland phrase, wood 
and water — the shelter, namely, that is afforded by the 
forests and lakes of an inaccessible country. 120 

The great men of the Highlands in that time, besides 
being anxiously ambitious to keep up what was called 
their following, or military retainers, were also desirous 
to have at their disposal men of resolute character, to 
whom the world and the world's law were no friends, "s 
and who might at times ravage the lands or destroy the 
tenants of a feudal enemy without bringing responsibil- 
ity on their patrons. The strife between the names of 
Campbell and Graham, during the civil wars of th^ 17th 
century, had been stamped with mutual loss and invet- 130 
erate enmity. The death of the great Marquis of Mont- 
rose on the one side, the defeat at Inverlochy and cruel 
plundering of Lorn on the other, were reciprocal injuries 
not likely to be forgotten. Rob Roy was, therefore, 
sure of refuge in the country of the Campbells, both as 135 
having assumed their name, as connected by his mother 
with the family of Glenfalloch, and as an enemy to the 

' D6ch'-art {ch like k). ' See page 138. 



ROB ROY, 147 

rival house of Montrose. The extent of Argyle's posses- 
sions, and the power of retreating thither in any emer- 
gency, gave great encouragement to the bold schemes 14° 
of revenge which he had adopted. 

This was nothing short of the maintenance of a pred- 
atory war against the Duke of Montrose, whom he con- 
sidered as the author of his exclusion from civil society 
and of the outlawry to which he had been sentenced by ms 
letters of horning and caption (legal writs so called), as 
well as the seizure of his goods and adjudication ' of 
his landed property. Against his grace, therefore, his 
tenants, friends, allies, and relatives, he disposed himself 
to employ every means of annoyance in his power. 150 

The opinions and habits of the nearest neighbors to 
the Highland line were also highly favorable to Rob 
Roy's purpose. A large proportion of them were of his 
own clan of MacGregor, who claimed the property of 
Balquhidder,'' and other Highland districts, as having 155 
been part of the ancient possessions of their tribe; 
though the harsh laws, under the severity of which they 
had suffered so deeply, had assigned the ownership to 
other families. The civil wars of the 17th century had 
accustomed these men to the use of arms, and they 160 
were peculiarly brave and fierce from remembrance of 
their' sufferings. The vicinity of a comparatively rich 
Lowland district gave also great temptations to incur- 
sion. Many belonging to other clans, habituated to 
contempt of industry and to the use of arms, drew tow- 165 
ards an unprotected frontier which promised facility of 
plunder; and the state of the country, now so peace- 
able and quiet, verified at that time the opinion which 
Dr. Johnson heard with doubt and suspicion, that the 

' Attaching by legal process. ' Pronounced Bal-quid'-der. 



148 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

most disorderly and lawless districts of the Highlands 17" 
were those which lay nearest to the Lowland line. 
There was, therefore, no difficulty in Rob Roy, descend- 
ed of a tribe which was widely dispersed in the country 
we have described, collecting any number of followers 
whom he might be able to keep in action and to main- 175 
tain by his proposed operations. 

He himself appears to have been singularly adapted 
for the profession which he proposed to exercise. His 
stature was not of the tallest, but his person was un- 
commonly strong and compact. The greatest peculiar- 180 
ities of his frame were the breadth of his shoulders and 
the great and almost disproportioned length of his arms ; 
so remarkable, indeed, that it was said he could, without 
stooping, tie the garters of his Highland hose, which are 
placed two inches below the knee. His countenance 185 
was open, manly, stern at periods of danger, but frank 
and cheerful in his hours of festivity. His hair was 
dark red, thick and frizzled, and curled short around 
the face. His fashion of dress showed, of course, the 
knees and upper part of the leg, which was described 19° 
to me as resembling that of a Highland bull, hirsute* 
with red hair, and evincing muscular strength similar 
to that animal. To these personal qualifications must 
be added a masterly use of the Highland sword, in 
which his length of arm gave him great advantage — and 195 
a perfect and intimate knowledge of all the recesses of 
the wild country in which he harbored, and the charac- 
ter of the various individuals, whether friendly or hos- 
tile, with whom he might come in contact. 

His mental qualities seemed to have been no less 200 
adapted to the circumstances in which he was placed. 
' Hairy, shaggy. 



ROB ROY. 



149 



Rob Roy avoided every appearance of cruelty, and it is 
not averred that he was ever the means of unnecessary 
bloodshed or the actor in any deed which could lead 
the way to it. His schemes of plunder were contrived 205 
and executed with equal boldness and sagacity, and 
were almost universally successful, from the skill with 
which they were laid and the secrecy and rapidity with 
which they were executed. Like Robin Hood of Eng- 
land, he was a kind and gentle robber and, while he 210 
took from the rich, was liberal in relieving the poor. 
This might in part be policy, but the universal tradi- 
tion of the country speaks it to have arisen from a bet- 
ter motive. All whom I have conversed with, and I 
have in my youth seen some who knew Rob Roy per- 215 
sonally, gave him the character of a benevolent and 
humane man "in his way." His ideas of morality were 
those of an Arab chief, being such as naturally arose 
out of his wild education. 




ROB KOY S SPORAN, ABBOTSFOKD. 




PRESTON TOWER, NEAR THE BATTLE-FIELD. 



BATTLE OF PRESTON PANS. 

By Sir Walter Scott. 

Although the Highlanders marched on very fast, 
the sun was declining when they arrived upon the brow 
of those high grounds which command an open and ex- 
tensive plain stretching northward to the sea, on which 
are situated, but at a considerable distance from each 
other, the small villages of Seaton^ and Cockenzie" and 
the larger one of Preston. One of the low coast-roads 
to Edinburgh passed through this plain, issuing upon it 
' Sea'-ton. * Cock-en'-zie. 



BATTLE OF PRESTON PANS. 151 

from the enclosures of Seaton House, and at the town 
or village of Preston again entering the defiles of an 10 
enclosed country. By this way the English general had 
chosen to approach the metropolis, both as most com- 
modious for his cavalry, and being probably of opinion 
that by doing so he would meet in front with the High- 
landers advancing from Edinburgh in the opposite di- 15 
rection. In this he was mistaken; for the sound judg- 
ment of the Chevalier,' or of those to whose advice he 
listened, left the direct passage free, but occupied the 
strong ground by which it was overlooked and com- 
manded, ao 

When the Highlanders reached the heights above the 
plain described they were immediately formed in array 
of battle along the brow of the hill. Almost at the 
same instant the van of the English appeared issuing 
from among the trees and enclosures of Seaton, with 25 
the purpose of occupying the level plain between the 
high ground and the sea, the space which divided the 
armies being only about half a mile in breadth. 

The roll of the drum and shrill accompaniment of 
the fifes swelled up the hill — died away — resumed its 3° 
thunder — and was at length hushed. The trumpets and 
kettle-drums of the cavalry were next heard to perform 
the beautiful and wild point of war appropriated as a 
signal for that piece of nocturnal duty, and then finally 
sunk upon the wind with a shrill and mournful cadence. 3S 

The friends, who had now reached their post, stood 
and looked round them ere they lay down to rest. The 
western sky twinkled with stars, but a frost-mist, rising 
from the ocean, covered the eastern horizon and rolled 
in white wreaths along the plain where the adverse 40 
' See N'otes. 



1^2 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

army lay couched upon their arms. Their advanced 
posts were pushed as far as the side of the great ditch 
at the bottom of the descent, and had kindled large 
fires, at different intervals gleaming with obscure and 
hazy lustre through the heavy fog which encircled them 45 
with a doubtful halo. 

The Highlanders, "thick as leaves in Vallombrosa,"* 
lay stretched upon the ridge of the hill, buried (except- 
ing their sentinels) in the most profound repose. " How 
many of these brave fellows will sleep more soundly be- 5° 
fore to-morrow night, Fergus !" said Waverley, with an 
involuntary sigh. 

" You must not think of that," answered Fergus, whose 
ideas were entirely military. "You must only think of 
your sword, and by whom it was given. All other re- 55 
flections are now too late." 

With the opiate' contained in this undeniable remark, 
Edward endeavored to lull the tumult of his conflicting 
feelings. The chieftain and he, combining their plaids, 
made a comfortable and warm couch. Galium,^ sitting 60 
down at their head (for it was his duty to watch upon 
the immediate person of the chief), began a long, mourn- 
ful song in Gaelic to a low and uniform tune, which, like 
the sound of the wind at a distance, soon lulled them to 
sleep. 65 

When Fergus Mac-Ivor* and his friend had slept for 
a few hours, they were awakened and summoned to at- 
tend the prince. The distant village clock was heard 
to toll three as they hastened to the place where he 
lay. He was already surrounded by his principal offi-70 
cers and the chiefs of clans. A bundle of pease-straw, 

^ Vall-6m-bro'-sa. ^ See Notes. ^ Cal'-Ium. 

* Mac-I'-vor, 



BATTLE OF PRESTON PANS. 153 

which had been lately his couch, now served for his 
seat. Just as Fergus reached the circle, the consulta- 
tion had broken up. " Courage, my brave friends!" said 
the Chevalier, " and each one put himself instantly at 75 
the head of his command ; a faithful friend has offered 
to guide us by a practicable, though narrow and cir- 
cuitous, route, which, sweeping to our right, traverses the 
broken ground and morass, and enables us to gain the 
firm and open plain upon which the enemy are lying. 80 
This difficulty surmounted, Heaven and your good 
swords must do the rest." 

The proposal spread unanimous joy, and each leader 
hastened to get his men into order with as little noise 
as possible. The army, moving by its right from off the 85 
ground on which they had rested, soon entered the path 
through the morass, conducting their march with aston- 
ishing silence and great rapidity. The mist had not 
risen to the higher grounds, so that for some time they 
had the advantage of starlight. But this was lost as 9° 
the stars faded before approaching day, and the head 
of the marching column, continuing its descent, plunged 
as it were into the heavy ocean of fog, which rolled its 
white waves over the whole plain and over the sea by 
which it was bounded. Some difficulties were now to 95 
be encountered, inseparable from darkness, a narrow, 
broken, and marshy path, and the necessity of preserv- 
ing union in the march. These, however, were less in- 
convenient to Highlanders, from their habits of life, than 
they would have been to any other troops, and they 100 
continued a steady and swift movement. 

As the clan of Ivor approached the firm ground, fol- 
lowing the track of those who preceded them, the chal- 
lenge of a patrol was heard through the mist, though 



154 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

they could not see the dragoon by whom it was made — 105 
"Who goes there?" 

"Hush," cried Fergus, "hush! Let none answer, as- 
he values his life — Press forward ;" and they continued 
their march with silence and rapidity. 

The Highland army, which now occupied the eastern no 
end of the wide plain, or stubble field, was drawn up in 
two lines, extending from the morass towards the sea. 
The first was destined to charge the enemy, the second 
to act as a reserve. The few horse,* whom the prince 
headed in person, remained between the two lines. 115 
The adventurer had intimated a resolution to charge in 
person at the head of his first line; but his purpose 
was deprecated by all around him, and he was with dif- 
ficulty induced to abandon it. 

Both lines were now moving forward, the first prepared 120 
for instant combat. The clans, of which it was com- 
posed, formed each a sort of separate phalanx,^ narrow 
in front, and in depth ten, twelve, or fifteen files, ac- 
cording to the strength of the following. The best 
armed and best born, for the words were synonymous, 125 
were placed in front of each of these irregular subdivis- 
ions. The others in the rear shouldered forward the 
front, and by their pressure added both physical im- 
pulse and additional ardor and confidence to those who 
were first to encounter the danger. 130 

"Down with your plaid, Waverley," cried Fergus, 
throwing off his own ; " we'll win silks for our tartans 
before the sun is above the sea." 

The clansmen on every side stripped their plaids, 
prepared their arms, and there was an awful pause of 135 
about three minutes, during which the men, pulling off 

' Horsemen, cavalry. 2 Body of troops. 



BATTLE OF PRESTON PANS. 155 

their bonnets, raised their faces to heaven and uttered 
a short prayer, then pulled their bonnets over their 
brows and began to move forward at first slowly. Wa- 
verley felt his heart at that moment throb as it would 140 
have burst from his bosom. The pipes played, and the 
clans rushed forward, each in its own dark column. As 
they advanced they mended their pace, and the mut- 
tering sounds of the men to each other began to swell 
into a wild cry. 145 

At this moment the sun, which was now risen above 
the horizon, dispelled the mist. The vapors rose like 
a curtain and showed the two armies in the act of 
closing. The line of the regulars was formed directly 
fronting the attack of the Highlanders; it glittered with 150 
the appointments of a complete army and was flanked 
by cavalry and artillery. But the sight impressed no 
terror on the assailants. 

"Forward, sons of Ivor," cried their chief, "or the 
Camerons will draw the first blood !" — They rushed on 155 
with a tremendous yell. 

The rest is well known. The horse, who were com- 
manded to charge the advancing Highlanders in the 
flank, received an irregular fire from their fusees as they 
ran on, and, seized with a disgraceful panic, wavered, 160 
halted, disbanded, and galloped from the field. The 
artillerymen, deserted by the cavalry, fled after discharg- 
ing their pieces, and the Highlanders, who dropped their 
guns when fired and drew their broadswords, rushed 
with headlong fury against the infantry. 165 

It was at this moment of confusion and terror that 
Waverley remarked an English officer, apparently of 
high rank, standing alone and unsupported by a field- 
piece, which, after the flight of the men by whom it was 



156 TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

wrought, he had himself levelled and discharged against 170 
the clan of Mac-Ivor, the nearest group of Highlanders 
within his aim. Struck with his tall, martial figure, and 
eager to save him from inevitable destruction, Waverley 
outstripped for an instant even the speediest of the 
warriors, and, reaching the spot first, called to him to 175 
surrender. The officer replied by a thrust with his 
sword, which Waverley received on his target, and in 
turning it aside the Englishman's weapon broke. At 
the same time the battle-axe of Dugald Mahony was in 
the act of descending upon the officer's head. Waverley iSo 
intercepted and prevented the blow, and the officer, 
perceiving further resistance unavailing, and struck with 
Edward's generous anxiety for his safety, resigned the 
fragment of his sword, and was committed by Waverley 
to Dugald, with strict charge to use him well and not 185 
to pillage his person, promising him, at the same time, 
full indemnification for the spoil. 

On Edward's right the battle for a few minutes raged 
fierce and thick. The English infantry, trained in the 
wars in Flanders, stood their ground with great courage. 190 
But their extended files were pierced and broken in 
many places by the close masses of the clans ; and, in 
the personal struggle which ensued, the nature of the 
Highlanders' weapons and their extraordinary fierce- 
ness and activity gave them a decided superiority over 195 
those who had been accustomed to trust much to their 
array and discipline, and felt that the one was broken 
and the other useless. Waverley, as he cast his eyes 
towards this scene of smoke and slaughter, observed 
Colonel Gardiner, deserted by his own soldiers in spite 200 
of all his attempts to rally them, yet spurring his horse 
through the field to take the command of a small body 



BATTLE OF PRESTON PANS. 157 

of infantry who, with their backs arranged against the 
wall of his own park (for his house was close by the 
field of battle), continued a desperate and unavailing 205 
resistance. Waverley could perceive that he had al- 
ready received many wounds, his clothes and saddle 
being marked with blood. To save this good and brave 
man became the instant object of his most anxious ex- 
ertions. But he could only witness his fall. Ere Ed- 210 
ward could make his way among the Highlanders, who, 
furious and eager for spoil, now thronged upon each 
other, he saw his former commander brought from his 
horse by the blow of a scythe, and beheld him receive 
while on the ground more wounds than would have let 215 
out twenty lives. When Waverley came up, however, 
perception had not entirely fled. The dying warrior 
seemed to recognize Edward, for he fixed his eye upon 
him with an upbraiding yet sorrowful look, and appeared 
to struggle for utterance. But he felt that death was 220 
dealing closely with him, and, resigning his purpose and 
folding his hands as if in devotion, he gave up his soul 
to his Creator. The look with which he regarded Wa- 
verley in his dying moments did not strike him so 
deeply at that crisis of hurry and confusion as when 225 
it recurred to his imagination at the distance of some 
time. 

Loud shouts of triumph now echoed over the whole 
field. The battle was fought and won, and the whole 
baggage, artillery, and military stores of the regular army 230 
remained in possession of the victors. Never was a 
victory more complete. Scarce any escaped from the 
battle, excepting the cavalry, who had left it at the very 
onset, and even these were broken into different parties 
and scattered all over the country. 23s 



LOCHIEL'S WARNING. 

By Thomas Campbell. 

WIZARD. 

LocHiEL, Lochiel, beware of the day 
When the Lowlands shall meet thee in battle array! 
For a field of the dead rushes red on my sight, 
And the clans of Culloden ' are scattered in fight. 
They rally, they bleed for their country and crown ; 
Woe, woe to the riders that trample them down ! 
Proud Cumberland^ prances, insulting the slain, 
And their hoof-beaten bosoms are trod to the plain. 
But hark! through the fast-flashing lightning of war. 
What steed to the desert flies frantic and far.'* 
'Tis thine, O Glenullin,^ whose bride shall await. 
Like a love-lighted watch-fire, all night at the gate ! 
A steed comes at morning: no rider is there, 
But its bridle is red with the sign of despair. 
Weep, Albin,* to death and captivity led ! 
O, weep! but thy tears cannot number the dead ; 
For a merciless sword o'er Culloden shall wave, 
Culloden, that reeks with the blood of the brave. 

LOCHIEL. 

Go, preach to the coward, thou death-telling seer! 
Or, if gory Culloden so dreadful appear, 
Draw, dotard, around thy old wavering sight, 
This mantle, to cover the phantoms of fright. 

1 Cul-l5'-den. ^ -phe Duke of Cumberland. See Notes. 

3 Glen-iir-lin. "* Scotland. See Notes. 



LOCHIELS WARNING. 159 

WIZARD. 
Ha ! laugh'st thou, Lochiel, my vision to scorn ? 
Proud bird of the mountain, thy plume shall be torn ! 
Say, rushed the bold eagle exultingly forth 25 

From his home in the dark-rolling clouds of the North ? 
Lo ! the death-shot of foemen outspeeding, he rode 
Companionless, bearing destruction abroad ; 
But down let him stoop from his havoc on high — 
Ah! home let him speed, for the spoiler is nigh. 3° 

Why flames the far summit? Why shoot to the blast 
Those embers, like stars from the firmament cast? 
'Tis the fire-shower of ruin, all dreadfully driven 
From his eyrie, that beacons' the darkness of heaven. 
O crested Lochiel, the peerless in might, 35 

Whose banners arise on the battlements' height. 
Heaven's fire is around thee, to blast and to burn ! 
Return to thy dwelling ! all lonely, return ! 
For the blackness of ashes shall mark where it stood. 
And a wild mother scream o'er her famishing brood. 40 

LOCHIEL. 

False wizard, avaunt! I have marshalled my clan. 
Their swords are a thousand, their bosoms are one ! 
They are true to the last of their blood and their breath, 
And, like reapers, descend to the harvest of death. 
Then welcome be Cumberland's steed to the shock ! 45 
Let him dash his proud foam like a wave on the rock! 
But woe to his kindred and woe to his cause 
When Albin her claymore indignantly draws, 
When her bonneted chieftains to victory crowd, 
Clanranald^ the dauntless and Moray the proud, 50 

All plaided and plumed in their tartan array — 

' Lights up. ^ Clan-ran'-ald, 



l6o TALES FROM SCOTTISH HISTORY. 

WIZARD. 
Lochiel, Lochiel, beware of the day! 
For, dark and despairing, my siglit I may seal, 
But man cannot cover what God would reveal; 
'T is the sunset of life gives me mystical lore, ss 

And coming events cast their shadows before. 
I tell thee, CuUoden's dread echoes shall ring 
With the bloodhounds that bark for thy fugitive king. 
Lo! anointed by Heaven with the vials of wrath, 
Behold where he flies on his desolate path ! 60 

Now in darkness and billows he sweeps from my sight — 
Rise, rise ! ye wild tempests, and cover his flight ! 
'T is finished ! Their thunders are hushed on the moors ; 
Culloden is lost, and my country deplores. 
But where is the iron-bound prisoner.? — where? 65 

For the red eye of battle is shut in despair. 
Say, mounts he the ocean-wave, banished, forlorn. 
Like a limb from his country cast bleeding and torn? 
Ah, no! for a darker departure is near; 
The war-drum is muffled, and black is the bier; 70 

His death-bell is tolling: O Mercy, dispel 
Yon sight that it freezes my spirit to tell! 
Life flutters convulsed in his quivering limbs, 
And his blood-streaming nostril in agony swims! 
Accursed be the fagots that blaze at his feet, 75 

Where his heart shall be thrown ere it ceases to beat, 
With the smoke of its ashes to poison the gale — 

LOCHIEL. 

Down, soothless insulter! I trust not the tale; 

For never shall Albin a destiny meet 

So black with dishonor, so foul with retreat. 80 



LOCHIEVS WARNING. 



i6i 



Though my perishing ranks should be strewed in their 

gore, 
Like ocean-weeds heaped on the surf-beaten shore, 
Lochiel, untainted by flight or by chains. 
While the kindling of life in his bosom remains, 
Shall victor exult, or in death be laid low, 85 

With his back to the field and his feet to the foe; 
And, leaving in battle no blot on his name. 
Look proudly to heaven from the death-bed of Fame. 







PRINCH CHARLES EDWARD S BONNET. 




PKINCE CHARLES EDWARD. 



NOTES, 



Abbreviations, except a few of the most familiar, have been avoided in the 
Notes, as in other parts of the book. The references to act, scene, and line in 
the quotations from Shakespeare are added for the convenience of the teacher or 
parent, who may sometimes wish to refer to the context, and possibly to make 
use of it in talking with the young people. The line-numbers are those of the 
"Globe" edition, which vary from those of my edition only in scenes that are 
wholly or partly in prose. 

W. J. R. 




BORDER CASTLE. 



NOTES. 



SIR PATRICK SPENS. 
This poem is one of the ballads in Sir Walter Scott's Minstrelsy 
of the Scottish Border — that is, the border-land between Scotland and 
Eno^land. A ballad, in the sense in which the word is here used, is 
" a versified narrative, in a simple, popular, and often rude style, of 
some valorous exploit or some tragic and touching story." The old 
ballads were intended to be sung, or recited in a musical way, with 
the accompaniment of a harp or some similar instrument. They 
were often composed by the singers, or minstrels, who led a wander- 
ing life, like the street musicians in our day. Originally these rov- 
ing poets were welcomed to the mansions of the great no less than 



1 66 NOTES. 

to the cottages of the common people ; but they gradually sank 
in social position until in the 15th century they were regarded much 
as the wandering organ-grinder is now. In England in 1597 they 
were classed by a statute with " rogues, vagabonds, and sturdy beg- 
gars." 

In the introduction to Scott's Lay of the Last Minstrel, the scene 
of which is laid in the latter part of the 17th century, the decline in 
the fortunes of the minstrels is pathetically described : 

'* The way was long, the wind was cold, 
The Minstrel was infirm and old ; 
His withered cheek and tresses gray 
Seemed to have known a better day ; 
The harp, his sole remaining joy, 
Was carried by an orphan boy. 
The last of all the bards was he, 
Who sung of Border chivalry ; 
For, well-a-day ! their dale was fled, 
His tuneful brethren all were dead ; 
And he, neglected and oppressed, 
Wished to be with them and at rest. 
No more, on prancing palfrey borne, 
He carolled, light as lark at morn ; 
No longer courted and caressed. 
High placed in hall, a welcome guest, 
He poured, to lord and lady gay, 
The unpremeditated lay : 
Old times were changed, old manners gone, 
A stranger filled the Stuart's throne ; 
The bigots of the iron time 
Had called his harmless art a crime. 
A wandering harper, scorned and poor, 
He begged his bread from door to door, 
And tuned, to please a peasant's ear. 
The harp a king had loved to hear." 

The old English and Scottish ballads were not put into written 
form until long after they were composed ; and copies taken from 
the lips of different persons often vary much. There are many ver- 
sions of this "grand old ballad of Sir Patrick Spens," as the poet 
Coleridge called it. Some of the variations are given in the notes 
below. 

Critics do not agree as to the event upon which this ballad is 
founded; but it was probably the expedition sent in 1281 to carry 
Margaret, daughter of Alexander III. of Scotland, to Norway as the 
bride of King Eric of that country. As an old historian relates, she, 
"leaving Scotland, on the last day of July, was conveyed thither, in 
noble style, in company with many knights and nobles. In return- 
ing home, after the celebration of her nuptials, the Abbot of Bal- 



SIR PA TRICK SPEIVS. 



167 



nierinoch, Bernard of Monie-Alto, and many other persons were 
drowned." 

The poem is composed in what is called "ballad measure," be- 
cause it is the most common metrical form for these old popular 
songs. The stanza is made up of alternate lines of eight and six 
syllables each, with the accents on the even syllables ; but, as will 
be seen, there are frequent variations both in the number of syllables 
and in the place of the accent. 

Verse with the accent on the even syllables is called iambic, being 
regarded as made up o{ ianibtises (or iambi, if we use the Latin plu- 
ral) ; an iambus being a combination of two syllables, with the accent 
on the second. 

Page Ij line I. — Diinfermlijie. An ancient town in the county 
of Fife, sixteen miles northwest of Edinburgh, It was a place of note 
as early as the nth century, and was long one of the royal residences. 
Several Scottish kings were born here, and many were buried in the 
abbey founded by King Malcolm Canmore and his queen, St. Mar- 
garet, between 1070 and 1093. Among the royal tombs was that of 
Robert the Bruce. 

Line 2. — Blnde-red. The form is Scottish, like that of many other 
words in the ballad ; but Scott, whose version we follow, is not uni- 
form in the use of these words in place of the English forms. For 
instance, in line 5 he has braid, as in line 77 of The Battle of O iter- 
bourne (page 60), but broad in line 85 of the same poem. 

Line 3. — O, where 7vill I get a skeely skipper, etc. Note the fre- 
quent use of O in beginning sentences in this ballad, and compare 
The Battle of Otterbourne. Skeely is also spelled skilly, and is de- 
rived from skeel {skill). Skipper is to be accented on the second syl- 
lable, like sailor in line 7, letter in line 9, etc. Compare Longfellow's 
ballad of The Wreck of the Hesperus, written in imitation of this old 
style: "And the skipper had taken his little daughter," "Then 
up and spake an old sailor," etc. (the accent marks being the poet's 
own). 

Line 4. — This new ship. Some versions have " This gude ship." 

Line 5. — Up and spake. A common expression in the old ballads, 
as in modern imitations, like Longfellow's. 

Line (i.—Sat at the king's right knee. That is, who sat. This omis- 
sion of the relative pronoun was common down to Shakespeare's 
time. There is another instance of it in line 12. 

Line 13. — To Noroway, to Noroway, etc. Repetitions of this and 
other forms are frequent in the ballads. What purpose do they serve 
in poems addressed to the ear rather than the eye, recited or sung 
instead of being read ? 



1 68 NOTES. 

Line i6. — Bring her hame. We should now say " take her home." 
Compare Shakespeare, Julius Ca'sar, i. 3. I : "Brought you Caesar 
home?" which is not spoken in Caesar's house, as we should natur- 
ally understand it to be if we did not know the context. See also 
Genesis, xviii. 16. 

Pag'e 2, line 18. — Loud loud. For the repetition, compare lines 
81, 93, and 97. 

Line 25. — Be it wind, be it weet, be it hail, be it sleet. Note the 
rhyme oi weet and sleet, or "middle rhyme," as it is called. Com- 
pare The Battle of Olterbotime, lines 97, 109, 1 13, and 122 (pages 60, 
61). 

Line 28. — Alust. Other versions have "maun," as in line 16. 
Compare note on line 2. 

Line 29. — Hoysed. This is from the old verb hoyse or hoise^ 
which Shakespeare uses several times ; as in Richard III. iv. 4. 529 : 
"Hoised sail and made away for Brittany." 

Line 32. — Wodensday. The word originally meant the day of 
Woden, or Odin, the chief god of the Northern mythology. 

Lines 33, 34. — They hadna been a week, a zveek, etc. For the pecul- 
iar form of expression, compare lines 53, 54, and 69, 70. 

Lines 39, 40. — Ye lie, ye lie, ye liars loud, etc. The rhyme suggests 
that lie is to be pronounced like le (le), a Scottish form of the word. 
Compare The Battle of Otterbourne, lines 69, 70 (page 59). 

Note the " dramatic form " here and in the following stanzas, that 
is, giving what is said without stating who says it. This is another 
characteristic of the old ballads. Who is the speaker here .? Who 
in lines 47-52 } 

Pag'e 3, line 41. — White monie. That is, silver money. In some 
versions this line is " For I brought as mickle white monie ;" and 
line 43 is " And a half-fou o' the gude red gowd." 

Lines 51, 52. — And if we gang to sea, master, etc. Another ver- 
sion has : 

" And I fear, I fear, my master dear. 
That we sail come to harm." 

Line 57. — The ankers brak. Another reading is " The ropes they 
brak." 

Lines 6 1-64. — O, where will I get a gude sailor, etc. Who says this ? 
Who speaks in the next stanza ? Note the kind of repetition in these 
stanzas. Compare lines 73-80. 

Line 79. — Wapped them round. Another version has " wapped 
them into." 

Line 83. — But lang or a' the play was played. Another reading is, 
" But lang ere a' the play was o'er." 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. 169 

Lines 85-88. — And mony was the feather-bed, etc. Instead of this 
stanza the following is found in some copies': 

" O, laith, laith were our gude Scots lords 
To weet their milk-white hands, 
But lang ere a' the play was played 
They wat their gouden bands." 

Line 89. — Wrang. An old form of the past tense oi wring. 

Pag'e 5, line loi. — O, forty miles off Aberdeen. Anoth'er reading 
is " Half owre, half owre to Aberdour." This seems preferable, as 
Aberdour is on the Firth of Forth, a few miles from Dunfermline, 
while Aberdeen is more than a hundred miles to the north. 



ROBERT THE BRUCE. 

Walter Scott was born at Edinburgh, August 15, 1771. He 
was educated in the high school and university there, but did not 
distinguish himself as a student. He studied law, but soon gave up 
'the practice of it for literature. He first gained reputation by his 
poems, but later began to write novels, which were published for 
some time anonymously. In 1825 he became involved in the failure 
of a publishing house in which he was a partner. His share of the 
debts was about ;i^ 140,000 ($700,000), which he determined to pay 
with his pen. He accomplished the task, but at the expense of his 
health. He had a stroke of paralysis from which he never entirely 
recovered. After a journey to Italy, from which he derived no ben- 
efit, he returned to his home at Abbotsford, where he died on the 
2ist of September, 1832.* 

Robert Bruce, or the Bruce, was born March 21, 1274. He was 
the eldest son of Robert de Bruce, Earl of Carrick, who became a 
rival of John Baliol for the throne of Scotland. In his youth he swore 
fealty to Edward I. of England, but afterwards joined the Scottish 
leaders in arms for theindependence of their country. After their de- 
feat he made his peace with Edward, and continued faithful to him up 
to the time when the present narrative begins.f 

John Comyn, or Cuming, was the son of a sister of John Baliol, 
and was called the Red Comyn to distinguish him from his kinsman, 

* For a much fuller account of Scott's life, see Tales of Chivalry, pages 10-19. 

t Lochmaben Castle (see cut on page 6), where Bruce is said to have been born, 
is in the southern part of Scotland, about ten miles northwest of Dumfries. It was 
for some time the residence of Darnley and Queen Mary. Nothing is left of it now 
but shapeless masses of stone. 



170 



NOTES. 



the Black Comyn, who was so named from his swarthy complex- 
ion. 

Page 7^ line 27. — I doubt. For this use oi doubt, compare Ham- 
let, i. 2. 256 : *' I doubt some false play." 

Line 33. — With a vetigeaiice. This expression may be allowed in 
conversation or in free-and-easy writing, but is now seldom found in 
dignified composition. 




GATEWAY TO SCONH PALACE. 



Page 8j line 52. — The Abbey of Scone. The ancient town of 
Scone, of which little now remains, was about two miles and a half 
from Perth. The Abbey was founded in 1107 by Alexander I., and 
here the Scottish kings were crowned from that date down to the 
time of James II. Only a fragment of it is left, now used as a mau- 
soleum by the Earl of Mansfield, on whose estate it stands. The 
famous "stone of Scone," the seat on which the kings were crowned, 
now forms part of the English coronation -chair in Westminster 
Abbey. 

Scone is mentioned twice in Shakespeare's Macbeth : in ii. 4. 31, 
where Macbeth is said to have " gone to Scone " for coronation ; and 
in the last sentence of the play where Malcolm says : 

" So, thanks to all at once and to each one, 
Whom we invite to see us crown'd at Scone. " 



Line 59. — The brave Macduff, 
beth. 



He who figures in the play of Mac- 



THE TAKING OF THREE CASTLES. 



171 



Page 9, line Zd.—Methven. A village six miles northwest of 
Perth. 

Pag'e 10. line 113. — Lorn. A mountainous distritt in the county 
of Argyle. 

Line 122. — Dairy. A village nineteen mjles southwest of Glas- 
gow, beautifully situated on the river Garnock. 

Page 12, line i^^.—Loih Lomond. The largest lake in Scot- 
land, sixteen miles northwest of Glasgow. 



,^.^5^?%'"'\,';i^=-^^ 





VIEW OF LOCH LOMOND. 



Page 13, line 208. — The Castle of Berwick. Berwick-upon- 
Tweed, at the mouth of that river, on the English side of it. It 
played an important part in the wars between England and Scot- 
land. 



THE TAKING OF THREE CASTLES. 

Page 30, line 18.— 77;^ Grassviarket. The cut on page 31 gives 
a good idea of the steepness of the Castle Hill on this side. 

Page 33, line ZL—Lbililhgow. See the cut of this castle on page 
119. The town, sixteen miles west of Edinburgh, is one of the oldest 
in Scotland. The fortified palace, or castle, situated on an eminence 
jutting into a small lake, was frequently the residence of the Scottish 
monarchs. Compare Marmion, iv. 287 : 

♦' Of all the palaces so fair 

Built for the royal dwelling 
In Scotland, far beyond compare 
Linlithgow is excelling." 



172 



NOTES. 



Pag'C 35, line 153. — Then a very large castle. Scanty remains of 
it are now to be seen. The large town close by it has entirely disap- 
peared, the present village of Roxburgh being two miles and a half 
distant. 



DOUGLAS AND THE HEART OF ROBERT BRUCE. 

*' In the last year of Robert the Bruce's reign he became extreme- 
ly sickly and infirm, chiefly owing to a disorder called the leprosy, 
wliich he had caught during the hardships and misfortunes of his 
youth, when he was so frequently obliged to hide himself in woods 
and morasses, without a roof to shelter him. He lived at a castle 
called Cardross, on the beautiful banks of the River Clyde, near to 
where it joins the sea ; and his chief amusement was to go upon the 
river, and down to the sea in a ship, which he kept for his pleasure. 
He was no longer able to sit upon his war-horse, or to lead his army 
to the field ... At length he became very ill, and finding that he 
could not recover he assembled around his bedside the nobles and 
counsellors in whom he most trusted. He told them, that now, be- 
ing on his death-bed, he sorely repented all his misdeeds, and par- 
ticularly that he had, in his passion, killed Coniyn with his own hand, 
in the church and before the altar. He said that if he had lived he 
had intended to go to Jerusalem, to make war upon the Saracens 
who held the Holy Land, as some expiation for the evil deeds he had 
done. But since he was about to die he requested of his dearest 
friend and bravest warrior, and that was the Good Lord James Doug- 
las, that he should carry his heart to the Holy Land" (Scott). He 
died soon after this, or. the 7th of June, 1329, in the 55th year of his 
age and the 23d of his reign. 

Page 3S, line 5. — Value . . .for. Esteem for (rare). 

Page SDj line TyO. — Allah illah Allah! Arabic for "God is 
God." 

Line 2^. — Roslyn. Roslyn (or Roslin) Castle, the ancient seat of 
the St. Clairs, is about ten miles south of Edinburgh, on a precip- 
itous rock overhanging the P-^sk. Only a few ruins of it are left. 

Page 40, line 56. — The Black Douglas. Compare pages 36, 37. 

Line 79. — Where Thomas Dickson and Douglas held so (errihle a 
Palm Sunday. The allusion is to a memorable exploit of Douglas, 
in recovering his castle after it had been taken by the English. Scott 
tells the story thus in the Tales of a Grandfather: "Douglas went 
in disguise to the house of one of his old servants, called Thomas 
Dickson, a strong, faithful, and bold man, and laid a scheme for 



DOUGLAS AND THE HEART OF BRUCE. 173 

taking the castle. A holiday was approaching, called Palm Sunday. 
Upon this day it was common, in the Roman Catholic times, that 
the people went to church in procession, with green boughs in their 
hands. Just as the English soldiers, who had marched down from 
the castle, got into church, one of Lord James's followers raised the 
cry of Douglas, Dotiglas ! which was the shout with which that family 
always began battle. Thomas Dickson, and some friends whom he 
had collected, instantly drew their swords and killed the first Eng- 
lishman whom they met. But as the signal had been given too soon 
Dickson was borne down and slain. Douglas and his men present- 
ly after forced their way into the church. The English soldiers at- 
tempted to defend themselves; but, being taken by surprise and un- 
prepared, they were, for the greater part, killed or made prisoners, 
and that so suddenly and with so little noise that their companions 
in the castle never heard of it. So that when Douglas and his men 
approached the castle gate they found it open, and that part of the 
garrison which were left at home busied cooking provisions for those 
that were at church. So Lord James got possession of his own cas- 
tle without difficulty, and he and his men eat up all the good dinner 
which the English had made ready. But Douglas dared not stay 
there, lest the English should come in great force and besiege him ; 
and therefore he resolved to destroy all the provisions which the 
English had stored up in the castle, and to render the place unavail- 
ing to them ; after which he set fire to the castle, and finally marched 
away and took refuge with his followers in the hills and forests." 

Line Z2.— The cJmrch of Dunfermline. That is, the abbey church. 
See note on page i, line i. 

Page 42, line I w.—Sir Henry de Bohun. " There was a knight 
among the English, called Sir Henry de Bohun, who thought this 
would be a good opportunity to gain great fame to himself and put 
an end to the war, by killing King Robert. The king being poorly 
mounted and having no lance, Bohun galloped on him suddenly 
and furiously, thinking, with his long spear and his tall powerful 
horse, easily to bear him down to the ground. King Robert saw 
him and permitted him to come very near, then suddenly turned 
his pony a little to one side, so that Sir Henry missed him with the 
lance-point, and was in the act of being carried past him by the ca- 
reer of his horse. But, as he passed, King Robert rose up in his 
stirrups and struck Sir Henry on the head with his battle-axe so 
terrible a blow that it broke to pieces his iron helmet as if it had 
been a nut-shell, and hurled him from his saddle. He was dead be- 
fore he reached the ground. This gallant action was blamed by the 
Scottish leaders, who thought Bruce ought not to have exposed him- 



174 NOTES. 

self to so much danger when the safety of the whole army depended 
on him. The king only kept looking at his weapon, which was in- 
jured by the force of the blow, and said, " I have broken my good 
battle-axe" (Scott). This was on the 23d of June, 1314, the day 
before the great battle of Bannockburn, in which the English were 
defeated by Bruce with great slaughter, while the loss of the Scots 
was surprisingly small. 



THE HEART OF THE BRUCE. 

William Edmondstoune Aytoun was born in Edinburgh in 
1813 and, after being admitted to the bar and practising law for 
some years, was appointed professor of rhetoric in the university of 
his native city. He married a daughter of John Wilson, well known 
as an author under the pseudonym (or fictitious name) of " Christo- 
pher North." In 1849, Aytoun published the Lays of the Scottish 
Cavaliers and other Poems, which at once gave him fame as a poet. 
He wrote other books of poems, besides prose tales and critical es- 
says in Blackwood's Magazine. He died in 1865. 

Page 44j line i. — It was upon an April morn. The style of the 
old ballads is imitated more or less throughout the poem, as may 
be seen by comparing it with Sir Patrick Spens and The Battle of 
Oiterbourne. It should be compared also with the prose narrative 
that precedes it here. 

Line 18. — O, hut his face was ivan. Aytoun wrote at first "And, 
O, his face was wan." 

Line 21. — Come hither, I pray. The earlier reading was "Come 
hither, come hither." 

Line 24.—/ needs must tell. Originally " I fain would tell." 

Pa??e 46, line 40. — Good Saint Andrew. The patron saint of 
Scotland. The cross known by his name is in the form of the let- 
ter X. 

Line 51. — The great angel. See Revelations, xx. 

Page 46, line 53. — Rede. Also spelled read, being the noun cor- 
responding to the verb read, the original meaning of which was "to 
counsel or advise." Compare Hamlet, i. 3. 51 : "And recks not his 
own rede ;" that is, does not mind, or follow, the advice he gives to 
others. 

Line 55. — In fiery fight against the foe. Observe the alliteration^ 
or beginning successive words with the same sound, as here withyi 
Point out other examples in this poem. 



THE HEART OF THE BRUCE. 175 

Line 67. — ScotlamVs kindly earth. That is, Jtative earth, the land 
of his birth. The original meaning of both kind and kindly is " nat- 
ural." In the Litany " the kindly fruits of the earth " are its nat- 
ural fruits, or such as it brings forth according to its kind^ or nature. 
Compare the noun in Genesis, \. 11, 12, 21, 24, etc. 

Line 71. — Betide. A word now used only in poetry or in prose 
imitating the old style. 

Line 77. — And aye we sailed, and aye we sailed. Compare note on 
page I, line 13. 

Line 78. — The weary sea. Explain the use of the adjective. Is it 
really the sea that is weary ? 

Page 47, line 84. — The trumpet'' s wavering call. Just what does 
wavering vci^2.\\ here ? Tennyson, in his Sir Galahad, speaks of" the 
shattering trumpet." What does that mean? 
. Line 89. — The Moors have coi/ie, etc. Who says this ? Compare 
note on page 2, lines 39, 40. 

Lines 93, 94. — No7t) shame it were, etc. There seems to be a 
" change of construction " here. We should expect " Now shame it 
were (would be) if it should be said of me," etc. We might, how- 
ever, explain it as an instance of the omission of the relative (com- 
pare note on page i, line 6): "Now it would be a shame tliat (or 
which) shall never be said," etc. In that case, a comma should be 
inserted after ?ne. 

Line 97. — Have doton. A form of expression found in the old bal- 
lads, as in other early English. So we find have after (follow, pur- 
sue), have 7uith yon (I'll go with you), have at you (here's a blow, or 
a challenge, for you), etc. 

Merry men (sometimes printed merry-meji or mo'rymen), as used 
in the ballads, means simply followers or retainers. Compare page 
61, line 108. 

Line 99. — The Scottish lion. The symbol of Scotland, appearing 
in the "royal arms" for the first time on the seal of Alexander II., 
who came to the throne in 1214. Explain the use of the expression 
here. 

Line loi. — iSfoiu xvelcome to me, etc. Who is the speaker? 

Line 107. — France's lilies. "^Yhe Jlenr-de-lis, the symbol of the an- 
cient royal family of France, and figured on the royal standard. 
Compare Macaulay, The Battle of Ivry : "Charge for the golden 
lilies now !" 

Line 108. — Bttrgiindie. Burgundy, a province in the eastern part 
of France, was for a time a separate kingdom and afterwards a duchy. 

Page 4:8, line 1 13. — We do not fight for bond or plight. See note 
on page 2, line 25. Compare lines 121, 145, 197, etc. 



176 



NOTES. 



Line 126. — Eyiie. Or eyen^ an old plural formed like oxen, hosen 
{Daniel, iii. 21), shoon {Hamlet, iv. 5. 26), etc. It is used here for 
the sake of the rhyme. Compare page 6r, line 114. 

Line 134. — Amain. That is, with main, or force. The noun 
is still used in this sense in the expression, "with might and main." 

Page 4:9j line 140. — As frank as I. The first reading was "as 
bold as I." 

Line 146. — Like Jiame. An example oi simile (from a Latin word 
meaning like, or similar, which has the same derivation), or a formal 
comparison of one thing to another. Compare line 151 just below. 

This and other variations from the ordinary or literal use of lan- 
guage are C2X\^di figures of speech, or forms oi figurative language. 

Line 147. — Spear in rest. A spear was said to be in rest when its 
butt was in the projection on the side of the armor called the rest ; 
that is, in position for use in attack or defence. See also note on 
page 77, line 88, 

Line 151. — Like corn. Explain the simile. 

Line 157. — We might not see. That is, could not see ; in imitation 
of old English. ' 

Line 161. — Make in. One of several obsolete combinations with 
make, expressing motion ; as niake after (follow, pursue), make at 
(approach as if to attack), 7nake up to (approach, advance to), etc. 
We still use make way with, make for, make off, etc. Compare com- 
binations with have (note on page 47, line 97). 

Line 164. — We may not. That is, we cannot, or vuist not ; as often 
in old English. 

Pil^e 50, line 171.— An' if. For and if, which is very common 
in old writers. Compare Matthew, xxiv. 48, where we have "but 
and if." And or an was often used alone in the sense of if ; as in 
Bacon's 23d Essay: " they will set a house on fire, and it were but to 
roast their eggs." 

Line 174. — Lion-like. A simile in a compound word. 

Line 179. — Pass thee first, thou dauntless heart. Here we have an 
example oi personification and apostrophe, the heart being first im- 
agined to have life and intelligence, and then addressed like a person. 

For pass thee the earlier editions have " pass thou," which is the 
proper modern construction. Pass thee is probably not to be regard- 
ed as reflexive, but as one of the expressions in which thee is used for 
thou, apparently for euphony, as Dr. Abbott {Shakespearian Gram- 
mar, § 212) believes. " Thee, thus used, follows imperatives, which 
being themselves emphatic, require an unemphatic pronoun." In 
Shakespeare we find "look thee here," "run thee to the parlor," 
"stand thee by," " come thee on," "fare thee well," etc. 



THE BATTLE OF OTTEKBURN. lyy 

Lines 185-188. — Now praised be God, etc. Who says this.? 

Line 192. — Dree. An obsolete word, like stoiir in line 182 above 
and lyart in 198 below. 

Page 51, lines 195, 196. — Arid rvoe thai I am living tnan, etc. 
The earlier reading was : 

" And woe is me I should be here, 
Not side by side with him !" 

Line 20\.—0 Bothwell banks, etc. Another example of apostro- 
phe. Bothwell Castle, which was long a possession of the Douglas 
family, is on the bank of the Clyde, about eight miles above Glas- 
gow. It was built in the 12th century, and is still an admirable 
specimen of an old baronial fortress. 

Line 205. — Vail thy head. The obsolete vail, meaning to lower 
or cast down ; not veil, as often misunderstood and misprinted here 
and in other poetry. Compare Hamlet, i. 2. 70: 

" Do not forever with thy vailed lids 
Seek for thy noble father in the dust ;" 

that is, with downcast eyes. 

Line 212. — Coiintrie. Accented on the second syllable, for the 
sake of the metre and the rhyme. 

Page 52, line 225.— We lifted the^ice the good Lord James. The 
earlier reading was "We bore the good Lord James away;" and in 
the next line " we bore " for he bore. 

Line 234. — Melrose. How accented here ? Why,? 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN. 

Page 53, line 14. — And tvith whom. The and should be omit- 
ted, and who, and whom, and which, etc. being proper only when 
joined to a preceding relative clause. Here, for example, we might 
write " Percy, Earl of Northumberland, who was an English noble of 
great power, and with whom," etc. 

Page 54, line T^x.—His castle of Dalkeith. The town of Dalkeith 
is about eight miles southeast of Edinburgh. The castle came into 
the possession of Douglas in 1369. It was sold to the Earl of Buc- 
cleuch in 1642, but nothing of the original building now remains, the 
present castle, or palace, having been erected in the early part of the 
i8th century. 

Page 55, line 84. — Indifferently. That is, *' not particularly well, 
but still not ill." He knows that he is dying, but, as the context 
12 



178 NOTES. 

shows, he tries to put a good face upon it for the sake of his follow- 
ers. 

Pilg'C 56j line 106. — Froissart. Jean Froissart, a French poet 
and historian, was born in 1337. At the age of 20 he began to 
write a history of the wars of his time, which forms the first part of 
his famous Chronicles. In 1360 he visitod England and was received 
with great favor by Philippa, wife of Edward III. Later he visited 
Scotland, and also went with the Black Prince to France and with 
the Duke of Clarence to Italy. After other travels he visited Eng- 
land again in 1395, and was courteously entertained by Richard III. 
Returning to France, he spent the rest of his life in completing his 
great historical work, which covers the events occurring from 1326 
to 1400 in France, England, Scotland, Spain, Flanders, etc. He died 
in 1410. 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE. 

Otlerboicrne is only an earlier spelling of Otterbiint. There are 
several versions of this ballad, as oi Sir Patrick S^eiis. 

Pag'e 57, line 4. — To drive a prey. That is, to take and carry 
off plunder, a good part of which was likely to be cattle. Some 
copies have "fetch a prey." 

Lines 5-7. — The Gordons, Graemes (or Grahams'), Lindesays, and 
Jardines were noted Scotch families. 

As a specimen of the variations in the ballad, we may quote this 
and the following stanza as they appear in another version : 

"And he has ta'en the Lindsays light, 
With them the Gordons gay ; 
But the Jardines wad not with him ride, 
And they rue it to this day. 

"Then they hae harried the dales of Tyne 
And halfo' Bambcrough-shire ; 
And the Otter-dale they burned it haill, 
And set it a' on fire." 

Line 9. — OJ Tyne. The river of that name in Northumberland. 

Line 10. — Bambrough shire. The country about Bamborongh, a 
town on the coast of Northumberland, sixteen miles southeast of 
Berwick. 

Line II. — Reidswire fills. A wild rocky district near the Bor- 
der. 

Page 58, line 24. — The tune of us. Tane was originally a con- 
traction of Ike ane. but came to be used with the article. So tone 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBOURNE. 179 

{the one) is often found in old writers ; and tother {the other) is often 
the correlative to it. Compare Golding's Ovid: "The tone for 
using crueltie, the tother for his trull." Tother is a vulgarism by 
no means obsolete now. 

Line 27. — For to meet. This use oifor before an infinitive, now a 
vulgarism, was common in early English, and is by no means rare in 
writers of the time of Elizabeth. It occurs now and then in Shake- 
speare ; as in the Winter's Tale, i. 2. 427 : " Forbid the sea for to 
obey the moon." 

Lines 33-40.— -^a^ we twa been upon the green, etc. Who says 
this ? And who is the speaker in the three stanzas that follow ? 

Page 59, line 60.— And threiu their pallions down. Another 
reading is : "And pitched their pallions down." 

Lines 66, 68.— The rhyme of daivn and hand is very imperfect ; 
but it is no better in this version : 

" Then up and spake a little boy, 
Was near of Douglas' kin— 
' Methinks I see an English host 
Come branking us upon.'" 

Lines 69, 70.— F^ lie, ye lie, etc. Compare page 2, lines 39, 40. 

Line 'j^.— The Isle of Sky. The modern spelling is Skye. 

Page 60, line 83. — They swakked their swords. One version has 
this old verb swakked again in line 1 19 instead of swapped. 

Line 84.— Z/7^^ rain. What figure of speech is this ? 

Line 85.— 6^^^^? broad. It should be "gude braid," to correspond 
with line 77 ; but see note on page I, line 2. 

Line 104.—^ kindly Scot. See note on page 46, line 67. 

Page 61, line \o%.—Merrie-Tnen. See note on page 47, line 97. 

Line i \/^.—Shoon. The old plural of shoe. See note on page 48, 
line 126. 

Line 118. — That either of other were fain. Another version has 
"was fain," which is grammatically correct, as either is singular. 
The meaning is "So that each was glad to meet the other," that 
is, each was eager for the combat. That for so that is common in 
Shakespeare and other Elizabethan writers. 

Line w^.—And they twa swat. That is, they two sweat. An- 
other reading is " And sair they swat." Compare line 83. 

Page 62, line 137. — The Otterbourne. The word bourne or bourn 
means stream or brook, and occurs in many English geographical 
names, as Bonrne??touth, IVestbourne, etc. The Scottish form is 
burn; as in Bannockburn, Burnmouth, Buxburn, etc. Compare 
Shakespeare, Lear, iii. 6. 27 : " Come o'er the bourn, Bessie, to 
me." 



i8o NOTES. 



THE BATTLE OF FLODDEN. 

Pag'C 63, line 2. — Teroiiemte. Now Theroiianne, a town in the 
northwestern part of France, about 30 miles southeast of Calais. 

Line 24. — Wooler. A town in Northumberland, about 45 miles 
northwest of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. In the vicinity are remains of 
ancient fortifications. 

Pag'e 04, line yj.— Orders were given, etc. For a spirited de- 
scription of the gathering of the Scottish forces, see Scott's Mdrmiou, 
cantos iv. and v. 

Line 45. — The castle of TwiselL This castle, which has been re- 
built in grand style in modern times, is near the ancient bridge of 
Twisell which crosses the Till near its junction with the Tweed. 

Pa^e 05^ line 67. — Afidrew Barton. " One John Barton, a vScot- 
tish mariner, had been captured by the Portuguese, as far back as the 
year 1476. As the King of Portugal refused to make any amends, 
James granted the family of Barton letters of reprisals, that is, a war- 
rant empowering them to take all Portuguese vessels which should 
come in their way, until their loss was made up. There were three 
brothers, all daring men, but especially the eldest, whose name was 
Andrew Barton. He had two strong ships, the larger called the 
Lion, the lesser the Jenny Pirwen, with which it would appear he 
cruised in the British Channel, stopping not only Portuguese vessels, 
but also English ships bound for Portugal. Complaints being made 
to King Henry, he fitted out two vessels, which were filled with 
chosen men and placed under the command of Lord Thomas How- 
ard and Sir Edward Howard, both sons to the Earl of Surrey. They 
found Barton and his vessels cruising in the Downs, being guided to 
the place by the captain of a merchant vessel, whom Barton had 
plundered on the preceding day" (Scott). In the obstinate fight 
that ensued Barton was killed. 

Line 78. — Had pleaded so well for his brother. — This was Lord 
David Lindsay who, in 1489, was accused of high treason. Patrick 
Lindsay was an excellent lawyer and, being allowed to plead in his 
brother's behalf, secured his acquittal. The king was so angry at the 
result that he put the successful advocate in prison for a year. 

Line 82. — A rose-noble. An English gold coin, first issued by Ed- 
ward IV. and worth ten shillings. The rose was part of the device. 

Pag'C 67, line 145. — The fatal battle. Compare the description 
of it in the 6th canto of Marmion. 

Paji:e 70, line 233. — Mitred abbots. That is, abbots who exercised 
the authority of bishops in the vicinity of their convents. The nii- 



EDINBURGH AFTER FLODDEN. jgi 

tre is the head-dress of a bishop, and often referred to as the symbol 
of his office. 

Page 71, line 263. — N'ews have arrived. N'ews is the plural of 
new (a translation of the French plural noiivelles\ and is often found 
with a plural adjective or verb in old writers. Shakespeare uses it 
in both numbers, even in the same play. Compare Miuh Ado, ii. I. 
180 : "these ill news;" and v. 2. 102 : "this news." 

Line 269. — Discharge. Apparently equivalent \.o prohibit — a sense 
not given in the dictionaries. 



EDINBURGH AFTER FLODDEN. 

The metre of this poem is mainly trochaic, or made up o{ trochees, 
a trochee being two syllables with the accent on the first. The ac- 
cents are therefore on the odd syllables, not on the even ones, as in 
the preceding poems. 

Page 73, line 13. — The northern streamers. The Northern 
Lights (or Aurora Borealis) which, like comets and other unusual 
appearances in the heavens, were formerly regarded by superstitious 
people as warnings of national danger and disaster. Compare the 
reference to comets in Shakespeare, Julius Cccsar, ii. 2. 30 : 

" When beggars die, there are no comets seen ; 
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of prmces." 

Page 74-, line 53. — The elders of the city, etc. Here the metre 
changes to iambic (see page 167), the accent being shifted to the even 
syllables. 

Page 7G, line 59. — The Maiden Town. Edinburgh is said to be 
so called from a tradition that the maiden daughters of a Pictish king 
were sent there for protection in a time of civil war. 

Line 70. — Then gird you to the fray. That is, gird yourselves. In 
poetry the personal pronoun is often used reflexivelv. 

Line 86. — Were smote with fear. Smote is an old form of the par- 
ticiple. Shakespeare uses smote and smit, never smitten. 

Page 77, line 88. — Had never couched a spear. A spear was said 
to be couched \\\i^\\ it was laid in rest, or held with its butt in the rest 
described in the note on page 49, line 147. 

Line 102. — The Borough-moor. See page 64, line 39. 

Line 113. — Dunedins banner. Dunedin, or Dun Edin, is "a 
Celtic assimilation of the name Edinburgh (that is, Edwin's burgh *), 

* So called from an early king of Northumbria, whose dominion extended as far 
to the north as this. 



l82 NOTES. 

serving at the same time as a descriptive designation of its site, the 
words meaning 'the face of a rock.'" 

Line 115. — Right heavily. Right is a favorite adverb with old 
English writers, and is very common in the ballads. 

Fag'e 78, line 1 18. — Woe is written on thy visage. Here we have 
a metaphor, that is, an indirect or implied comparison, as distinguished 
from the simile (see note on page 49, line 146), which is direct or for- 
mal. The look of woe is indirectly compared to a written expres- 
sion of the woe. The name metaphor is from the Greek, and means 
a transferrence. Here the idea of writing is transferred to a differ- 
ent kind of expression. 

Line 126. — Then he gave the riven banner, etc. Here the metre 
changes to trochaic again. 

Page 79, line 174. — The tempest of their sorroiv. Another ex- 
ample of metaphor. 

Line 180. — Like a knell, etc. Of what figure is this an example.'' 

Page 80, line 195. — Had been perilled. That is, which had been 
ventured. See note on page i, line 6. 

Line 201. — I hold it braver done. Adjectives are sometimes used 
adverbially in poetry, especially in early writers. 

Line 211. — The Royal Lion. What does this mean i* What do 
you call the form of expression } Compare page 47, line 99. 

Page 81, line 224. — As the wolves, etc. How does this differ 
from the reference to the lion in line 211 } What peculiarity in the 
arrangement of lines 224-227 .'' 

Lines 228-231. — But a rampart, etc. Explain these lines. 

Page 82, line 266. — And the Miserere'' s singing. The Miserere 
is the 51st Psalm (50th in the Vulgate), so called from the first word 
of the Latin version, which begins thus: "Miserere mei, Domine" 
(" Pity me, O Lord"). In the Roman Catholic and Greek churches 
it is used in the burial service and on certain other occasions. 

The construction here — " the Miserere is singing " — is liable to be 
misunderstood. Some persons would say that " is being sung " would 
be better ; but singing here (like building in *' the house is building," 
etc.) is not the participle, but the " verbal noun," or " the infinitive 
in -/«?■," as some grammarians call it. The earlier form was a-singing, 
a- buil ding {s>t\W used colloquially, as when boys talk of " going a-fish- 
ing," etc.), in which the a is a remnant oi an or on. "The house is 
building" means "the house is in process of building." Compare 
John, II. 20: "Forty and six years was this temple in building;" 
where in (equivalent to the old an, or on) is expressed. In I Petery 
iii. 20, we have the form with a: "while the ark was a-preparing." 
In Shakespeare we have a- bleeding, a-brcwing, a-coming, a-doing, etc 



EDINBURGH AFTER FLODDEN. 183 

The a- in afire, afoot, ashore, etc. is similarly prepositional. We can 
say instead on fire, on foot, on shore, etc. But some of tliese forms 
have become obsolete. We cannot now use a-high for oti high, as 
Shakespeare does in Richard III. iv. 4. 86: "heaved a-high." On 
the other hand, we cannot use on sleep for asleep, as in Acts, xiii. 36: 
"fell on sleep." 

Line 272. — Frovi each vioiintain-top a pillar, eic. Alluding to 
signals given by fires on heights. Compare page 73, line 9. Com- 
pare The Lay of the Last Minstrel, iii. 325 : 

" Is j'on red glare the western star? 
O, 't is the beacon-blaze of war ! 
***** 
On Penchryst glows a bale of fire, 
And three are kindling on Priesthaughswire. 
Ride out, ride out. 
The foe to scout." 

See also the long and spirited description of the signal-fires in Macau- 
lay's poem of The Armada, in our Tales from English History, pages 
76-79. 

Page 83j line 278. — God protect thee, Maiden City. See on page 
76, line 59, and on page 51, line 179. The apostrophe continues 
through line 291. 

Line 291. — And to side xvith Wallace c7-ime. Referring to the gal- 
lant Sir William Wallace, a famous Scotch patriot of the latter part 
of the 13th century. He was the most successful leader of his coun- 
trymen in the rebellion of that time against English rule. 

Page 84, line 311. — The fell and bitter cup. This metaphor is a 
common one. Compare Psalms, xxiii. 5, li. 17, cxvi. 13, Matthew, 
XX. 22, xxvi. 39, etc. See also Shakespeare, Lea?; v. 3. 304 : 

" All friends shall taste 
The wages of their virtue, and all foes 
The cup of their deservings. " 

Find other examples. 

Line 323. — Shall be broke. This form of the participle is obsolete, 
like the past tense brake. It is often used by the poets ; as by Byron 
in The Destruction of Sennacherib : "And the idols are broke in the 
temple of Baal," 

Line 330. — Though our hearts are bleeding yojider. Explain 
this. 

Page 85, line 348. — Thunder. Is this word literal or figurative? 
Explain. Compare line 358 below. 

Line 352. — From the bloody heaps of Flodden. Does this modify 
the preceding or the following line .'* 



i84 



NOTES. 



Line 361. — Scotland's glory may not set. What is the figure here, 
and from what is it taken? 

Line 364, — Yeomen. The word was properly applied to the class 
between gentlemen and laborers, or the small landed proprietors; 
but it is often used, as here, for private soldiers. 

Line 368. — A common gulf 0/ ruin, etc. Explain this figure also. 

Page 8(>, line 385. — He will be our stren^lh and tower. For the 
figure, compare Psalms, xviii. 2, Ixi. 3, Proverbs, xviii. 10, etc. 



THE GOODMAN OF BALLENGIECH. 

James V. of Scotland was born at Linlithgow (see note on page 
33, line 81) on the loth of April, 1512. His father died the next 
year, and the Duke of Albany was appointed regent, but was finally 
displaced through the jealousy and enmity of the Earl of Angus, 
who had married the widow of the deceased king. When James 
was seventeen he resolved to throw off the authority of Angus, whom 
he banished. In 1537 he married Magdalen, the daughter of Fran- 
cis L of France. She lived only a few weeks ; and the same year 
James married Mary of Lorraine, daughter of the Duke of Guise. 
In 1542 war with England occurred again, and divisions in Scotland 
led to disaster and defeat, which broke the heart of the king. He 
shut himself up in Falkland palace, where he died on the 13th of 
December, 1542, seven days after the birth of his daughter, Mary 
Queen of Scots. 

The portrait of James on page 87 is from a wood-carving at Stir- 
ling. 

Pag'e 88, line 1 1. — T/ie castle 0/ Stirling. The castle was a royal 
residence before the time of James V., but he was the first to build 
a palace separate from the fortress. This palace forms the inner 
quadrangle of the castle, which is in good condition still and occu- 
pied by a garrison. 

Ballengicch (or Ballengeich) means *' windy pass." 

Line 24. — Kippen. See note on page 143, line 17. 

Page 80, line 50. — The bridge of Cramond. This bridge, at the 
village of Cramond, a few miles from Edinburgh, crosses the Almond 
river, which flows into the Firth of P^orth. 

Page t)l, line I lO. — On condition that John Ploiviesoji or his suc- 
cessors, etc. In 1822 Ilowison Cranford, the descendant of this man, 
fulfilled the condition by presenting a silver ewer to George IV. on 
his visit to this part of Scotland. 



MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS RESIGNS THE CROWN. 185 



MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS RESIGNS THE CROWN. 
Mary Stuart was born at Linlithgow (see cut on page 119) on 
the 8th of December, 1542, and became Queen of Scotland when she 
was a baby. At the age of six she was promised in marriage to 
Francis, son of the King of France, whither she was sent to be edu- 
cated. The marriage took place in 1558 when she was sixteen, and 
the next year the couple became king and queen of France. On the 
death of Francis in December, 1560, Mary returned to Scotland, 
assuming the sovereignty there. In 1565 she married her cousin, 
Henry Stuart, Lord Uarnley, and had one son, who became James 




LORD DARNLEY IN HIS YOUTH. 

VI. of Scotland and James I. of England. Darnley and Mary were 
not happy together, and he, disappointed at not havmg an equal 
share in the government, plotted with the Protestant nobles to mi- 
prison her. She had a favorite secretary, David Rizzio, an Italian ; 
and one evening while she was at supper with him m Holyrood Pal- 
ace, Darnley with a company of armed men rushed into the room, 



1 86 NOTES. 

dragged Rizzio out, and killed him. This was in 1566, and a year 
afterwards the house in which Darnley was staying was blown up, 
causing his death. The Earl of Bothwell was accused of the murder, 
but escaped punishment, and three months afterwards Mary mar- 
ried him. This was more than her subjects could endure, and Both- 
well fled to Denmark, while Mary was shut up in Lochleven Castle. 
She escaped on the 2d of May, 1568 (as described on pages 109- 
119), and raised an army. A defeat at Langside, near Glasgow 
(May 15, 1568), disheartened her, and she fled to England, throwing 
herself upon the protection of Queen Elizabeth. She was treated 
by her as an enemy, and kept in prison for eighteen years, when, on 
an accusation of having plotted against the life of Elizabeth, she was 
convicted and condemned to death. She was finally beheaded in 
Fotheringay Castle on the 8th of February, 1587. Five months 
afterwards her body was buried with great pomp in the cathedral at 
Peterborough, whence it was removed in 1612 to Westminster Ab- 
bey, London, and placed in a magnificent tomb erected by her son, 
then King of England. 

The narrative given here is true to the main facts of history, though 
the minor details are fictitious. The noblemen mentioned are all 
historical personages. Ruthven was a friend of Darnley, and both 
he and Lindesay were of the party that murdered Rizzio. The Lady 
of Lochleven was Lady Douglas, mother of the Lord James, after- 
wards Earl of Murray (see page 100, line 238). She claimed to have 
been legally married to James V., and that consequently her son, 
and not Mary, was rightful heir to the crown. 

Lochleven Castle (see cut on page 109) takes its name from Loch 
Leven, a small lake about twenty miles north of Edinburgh. The 
castle is on an island in the lake, half a mile from the shore, and in 
Mary's time belonged to the Douglas family. Nothing now remains 
of it but one rugged tower and a few mouldering walls. The cut shows 
a room in the tower, said to have been the bed-chamber of Mary. 

Page 03 J line 25. — Scutcheon. A scutcheon, or escutcheon, is a 
shield on which the arms of a person or family are emblazoned, or 
depicted. Here the word is used figuratively as the symbol of the 
family honor or reputation. 

Line 32. — The Kirk of Field. The house where Darnley was 
killed was close to the Kirk of Field, the site of a church which 
stood near where the University of Edinburgh now is. 

Page 94, line 56. — Add not brands to fire. What does this mean ? 
What figure is it ? 

Page 95, line 87. — A female. It is now considered bad taste to 
use this word where woman or lady will do as well. 



MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS RESIGNS THE CROWN. 187 




Mary's bed-chamber, LOCHLEVB^f. 



Pa^e 96, lines 1 1 7-1 20. — It zuas the service which the knife, etc. 
The figure here is a simile, though no word expressing resemblance 
{like, as, etc.) is used. Why ? 

Line 124. — Archibald Douglas. One of the most famous of the 
Douglas family, and sometimes called the " Great Earl." At the 
time here referred to, one Robert Cochran, an unworthy favorite of 
James III., had obtained the earldom of Mar from the king by brib- 
ery, much to the disgust of all Scotland. An invasion by Edward 
IV. being threatened, James assembled the Scottish forces at the 
Borough -moor of Edinburgh (see page 64, line 39) whence they 
marched to Lauder (about 25 miles southeast of Edinburgh) ; but 
the great barons, who had already assembled with their followers, 
were less disposed to march against the English than to reform 
abuses in their own country. The story may be continued as Scott 
tells it in the Tales of a Grandfather : "Many of the nobility and 
barons held a secret council in the church of Lauder, where they en- 
larged upon the evils which Scotland sustained through the insolence 
and corruption of Cochran and his associates. While they were 
thus declaiming. Lord Gray requested their attention to a fable. 
' The mice,' he said, ' being much annoyed by the persecution of the 
cat, resolved that a bell should be hung about puss's neck, to give 
notice when she was coming. But though the measure was agreed 



1 88 NOTES. 

to in full council, it could not be carried into effect, because no mouse 
had courage enough to undertake to tie the bell to the neck of the 
formidable enemy.' This was as much as to intimate his opinion 
that, though the discontented nobles might make bold resolutions 
against the king's ministers, yet it would be difficult to find any one 
courageous enough to act upon them. Archibald, Earl of Angus, a 
man of gigantic strength and intrepid courage, started up when Gray 
had done speaking. ' I am he,' he said, ' who will bell the cat ;' from 
which expression he was distinguished by the name of Bell-the-Cat 
to his dying day. 

" While thus engaged, a loud authoritative knocking was heard at 
the door of the church. This announced the arrival of Cochran, at- 
tended by a guard of three hundred men, attached to his own person 
and all gayly dressed in his livery of white, with black facings, and 
armed with partisans. His own personal appearance corresponded 
with this magnificent attendance. He was attired in a riding suit of 
black velvet, and had round his neck a fine chain, of gold, whilst a 
bugle- horn, tipped and mounted with gold, hung down by his side. 
His helmet was borne before him, richly inlaid with the same precious 
metal ; even his tent and tent-cords were of silk, instead of ordinary 
materials. In this gallant guise, having learned there was some coun- 
cil holding among the nobility, he came to see what they were doing, 
and it was with this purpose that he knocked furiously at the door 
of the church. Sir Robert Douglas of Lochleven, who had the charge 
of watching the door, demanded who was there. When Cochran an- 
swered, ' The Earl of Mar,' the nobles greatly rejoiced at hearing he 
was come, to deliver himself, as it were, into their hands. As Coch- 
ran entered the church, Angus, to make good his promise to bell the 
cat, met him, and rudely pulled the gold chain from his neck, saying, 
• A halter would better become him.' Sir Robert Douglas, at the 
same time, snatched away his bugle-horn, saying, * Thou hast been a 
hunter of mischief too long.' * Is this jest or earnest, my lords V said 
Cochran, more astonished than alarmed at this rude reception. ' It 
is sad earnest,' said they, ' and that thou and thy accomplices shall 
feel ; for you have abused the king's favor towards you, and now you 
shall have your reward according to your deserts.' 

" It does not appear that Cochran or his guards offered any resist- 
ance. . . . The only person who escaped was John Ramsay of Bal- 
main, a youth of honorable birth, who clasped the king round the 
waist when he saw the others seized upon. Him the nobles spared, 
in respect of his youth, for he was not above sixteen years, and of the 
king's earnest intercession in his behalf. There was a loud acclama- 
tion among the troops, who contended with each other in offering 



MARY QUEEN- OF SCOTS RESIGNS THE CROWN. 189 

their tent-ropes and the halters of their horses, to be the means of 
executing these obnoxious ministers.. With a rope of hemp they 
hanged Cochran over the centre of the bridge of Lauder (now de- 
molished), in the middle of his companions, who were suspended on 
each side of him. When the execution was finished, the lords re- 
turned to Edinburgh, where they resolved that the king should remain 
in the castle, under a gentle and respectful degree of restraint." 

Pag-e 97, line 149. — Seneschal. The steward or superintendent 
of the domestic concerns of the castle. 

Tag-e 98, line 163. — F/iysiognojuists. Persons skilled in the art 
o{ physiognojny, or judging a man's character by his features. 

Line 168. — David Rizzio. His name is sometimes spelled Riccio. 




DOORWAY WHERE KIZZIO WAS MURDERED. 

Pa^e 99, line 2zo.—A fair and hopeful son. Afterwards James 
I. of England. 

Page 100, line 225.—/// a tone of bitter irony. In irony (which 



I90 NOTES. 

is reckoned one of the figures of speech) the meaning intended is the 
opposite of the literal sense of the words. The contemptuous tone 
indicates the real meaning of the speaker, as the context does in 
written discourse. Here Mary calls it " an easy boon " to give up 
the crown, and says it is " too little " for her subjects to ask, but 
there is no fear that she will be understood literally. 

Line 238. — Jcuties, Earl of Murray. Sometimes called the " Good 
Regent." By the admirable exercise of his authority he secured the 
peace of Scotland, but was assassinated at Linlithgow in January, 
1570, by James Hamilton, who was probably the agent of his politi- 
cal enemies, besides having a personal grievance against him. 

Line 243. — Comes the arrow, etc. Explain the figure. 

Page 101, line 260. — Minion. The word originally meant a 
darling, or favorite, but without any bad sense. In Sylvester's Dti 
Bartas {160^) we find " God's disciple and his dearest minion ;" and 
in Stirling's Domes-day (1614), " Immortal minions in their Maker's 
sight." 

Line 275. — Kerchief. The word properly means a covering for 
the head (French couvrir, cover, and chef head). Here it is a hand- 
kerchief. 

Line 279. — An anointed sovereign. Alluding to the anointing of 
the head in the coronation ceremony, a practice dating back to the 
time of the Jewish monarchy. See I Samuel, ix. 16, x. i, etc. " The 
Lord's anointed" was a common designation of the king (i Samuel, 
xii. 3, 5, 2 Samuel, i. 14, 16). Mary here appeals to what is known 
as " the divine right of kings." Compare Shakespeare, Richard 11.^ 
iii.2. 54: 

*' Not all the water in the rough rude sea 
Can wash the balm from an anointed king; 
The breath of worldly men cannot depose 
The deputy elected by the Lord." 

Line 284. — Pinkiecletigh. About eight miles east of Edinburgh, 
where the Scots were badly defeated by the English in 1547. 

Pag'e 102, line 291. — Every man''s hand hath been against his 
brother. Compare Ezekiel,yixyiv\\\. z\. 

Line 294. — We may endure it. That is, can endure it. Compare 
page 49, line 164. 

Page 103, line 325. — A masque. A masquerade, or festive en- 
tertainment in which the company wear masks — usually a dancing- 
party or ball. 

For galliard compare Shakespeare, Henry V. i. 2. 252 : " a nim- 
ble galliard." 

Line 330. — Hermitage Castle. On the Border, about Tp miles 



MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS RESIGNS THE CROWN. 191 

from Carlisle. Hawick is a town about 15 miles to the northeast of 
the castle. The allusion is to a visit which Mary made to Bothwell 
at Hermitage, while he was suffering from a wound soon after the 
murder of Rizzio. The exterior of the castle, which was built in the 
13th century, is still perfect. 

Line 339. — The butts. The targets in archery. 

Line 341. — Saint Andre-ws. An ancient city on the east coast ot 
Scotland, 45 miles to the north of Edinburgh. The castle, the gar- 
den of which is referred to here, was the birthplace of James III. 
It is now in ruins, having been nearly demolished in the i6th cen- 
tury. 

Pag'e 104, line 355. — The Marys. The "four Marys," who 
were companions and attendants of Queen Mary from her childhood 
— Mary Beaton, Mary Fleming, Mary Livingstone, and Mary Seaton. 
Mary Carmichael and Mary Hamilton afterwards took the place of the 
second and third, who married. Later, Mary Carmichael was executed 
for killing her child, of which Uarnley was said to be the father. 

Line 364. — Cabals, The word cabal means an intrigue, usually 
political or ecclesiastical, or the persons engaged in such a design, 
and is now used only in a bad sense. The name was given to an 
unpopular ministry of Charles H. consisting of Clifford, Ashley, 
Buckingham, Arlington, and Lauderdale, the initials of whose names 
happened to compose the word; and Macaulay says that "it has 
never since their time been used except as a term of reproach." 

Line 373. — Add at least a handful of thistle-down, etc. Is this 
literal or figurative language ? Explain it. 

Page 106, line 436. — Under a sullen and contemptuous smile. 
As this clause modifies disouisin^, it would seem better to put it im- 
mediately after that word ; but it was probably placed where it is 
for the sake of emphasis. 

Pag'e 107, line 459. — / think woman's flesh be as tender, etc. 
This use of he after verbs of thinking was not uncommon in former 
times, even when the verb had not the full force of the subjunctive. 
Compare Shakespeare, Comedy of Errors, v. i. 379: " I think it be, 
sir; I deny it not;" and Hamlet, i, i. 108: "I think it be no other 
but even so." 

What is the figure in this sentence? What other ideas is snow 
often used to illustrate ? 

Page 108, line 478. — Thy manliness of spirit. That is, thy man- 
like courage and fortitude. 

Line 490. — Your respected grandame. The Lady of Lochleven. 

In the signature of Mary on page 108, the R. is the abbreviation 
oi Regina, the Latin for Queen. 



1^2 NOTES. 



ESCAPE OF QUEEN MARY FROM LOCHLEVEN. 

Page 109, line 4. — Kinross. As the context indicates, the vil- 
lage is on the shore of Loch Leven, opposite the castle. It is the 
point from which tourists now usually take boats for visiting the 
island. 

Page 110, line 19. — The lights of Saint Elmo. Balls of fire, of 
an electrical nature, sometimes seen on the tops of masts and the 
ends of yards of ships at sea, especially in threatening or stormy 
weather. They are so called after Saint Elmo, bishop of Formiae» 
in ancient Italy, who died about 304 and is regarded as a patron 
saint by sailors in the Mediterranean. Compare Longfellow, Golden 
Legend: 

•• Last night I saw Saint Elmo's stars, 
With their glimmering lanterns, all at play 
On the tops of the masts and the tips of the spars, 
And I knew we should have foul weather to-day." 

Page 111 J line 54. — Taster at the qiieen''s table. It used to be a 
regular formality at royal tables for an officer or servant, appointed 
for the purpose, to taste of the food and wines in order to certify 
to their good quality. This was called taking the assay (or say) or 
giving the say. Compare Richard IT. v. 5. 99, where the keeper 
comes in with a dish for the imprisoned monarch, who says to him : 
"Taste of it first, as thou art wont to do." 

Page 112, line 97. — The hundred kings. That is, the many 
kings, a definite number being used for an indefinite. Hundred^ 
thousand, and similar " round numbers " are often so used, both in 
prose and poetry. This is one form of a figure called vielouymy — a 
word meaning "change of name " or "exchange of names." 

Page 113, line 112. — As men rid them. That is, rid themselves. 
See note on page 76, line 70. 

Line 137. — Corpse-candles. Among the common people in Great 
Britain the luminous exhalation known as the ignis fatuus, Will-o'- 
the-wisp, or Jack-o'-lantern^ when seen in graveyards, is believed to 
be an omen of death. 

Page 114, line 157. — What thrift that churl drives. What work 
that fellow is engaged in. 

Line 164. — Or nets, may he not? Does she use the word literally 
or figuratively ? Explain. 

Page 115, line 176. — Kent. The verb is Scottish, and is not 
found in some of the large English dictionaries. 

Line 1S3. — Thou good bolt. Define and explain the figure here. 



QUEEN MARY'S ESCAPE FROM LOCHLEVEN. 193 

Line \^i.—He sleeps for a wager. That is, as soundly as if he 
were doing it for a wager. 

rage 117, line 243. — Slipped upon poppy -porridge. Is this to be 
understood literally ? Explain it. 

Line 255. — Harquebiiss. Also spelled harquebuse, arquebus, arque- 
btise, etc. 

Page 118, line 2Ti.— To Kelpie's keeping. The kelpie (or kelpy) 
is an imaginary spirit of the waters, generally appearing in the form 
of a horse. The keys were fished up from the lake in the summer 
of 1805. 




KBY OF Mary's prison at lochlevhn. 



QUEEN MARY'S ESCAPE FROM LOCHLEVEN. 

Robert Allan was born at Kilbarchan, in Scotland, November 
4, 1774. He was a muslin weaver, and many of his best songs were 
composed while working at the loom. A volume of his poems was 
published in 1836. When sixty-seven years of age he came to this 
country, where his youngest son was settled ; but he died in New 
York on the ist of June, 1841, only six days after his arrival. 

The metre of this poem is iambic, the accents being regularly on 
the even syllables. 

Page 120, line 13.— Traitors sold. That is, corrupt traitors, who 
have sold themselves to the enemies of their country. 

Line 15. — Steersman. In Longfellow's Poems of Plaees (Scotland, 
vol. ii. p. 145), the reading is "Then, steersmen, steersmen, on with 
speed." As there was only one boat the plural is obviously wrong. 
We have seen no other copy of the poem, but have no hesitation in 
printing steersman. 
13 



194 NOTES. 



THE EXECUTION OF MONTROSE. 

James Graham, Marquis of Montrose, was born at Montrose, in 
1612. When the civil war broke out between Charles I. and his 
Parliament, Montrose at first took sides with the latter, but after- 
wards went over to the king, and after his death fought for Charles 
11, After a brilliant military career he was defeated, taken prisoner, 
and condemned to be hanged on a gibbet thirty feet high, his head to 
be fixed on the Tolbooth at Edinburgh, and his limbs to be placed 
over the gates of the principal towns of Scotland. His execution 
took place on the 21st of May, 1650. 

Aytoun says, in an introduction to this poem : " The perfect seren- 
ity of the man in the hour of trial and death, the courage and mag- 
nanimity which he displayed to the last, have been dwelt upon with 
admiration by writers of every class. He heard his sentence de- 
livered without any apparent emotion, and afterwards told the mag- 
istrates who waited upon him in prison, that ' he was much indebted 
to the Parliament for the great honor they had decreed him ;' adding 
that * he was prouder to have his head placed upon the top of the 
prison than if they had decreed a golden statue to be erected to him 
in the market-place, or that his picture should be hung in the king's 
bedchamber.' He said 'he thanked them for their care to preserve 
the remembrance of his loyalty by transmitting such monuments 
to the different parts of the kingdom ; and only wished that he 
had flesh enough to have sent a piece to every city in Christen- 
dom, as a token of his unshaken love and fidelity to his king and 
country.' " 

Aytoun says also : " There is no ingredient of fiction in the his- 
torical incidents recorded in the ballad. ... It may be considered 
as a narrative of the transactions, related by an aged Highlander, 
who had followed Montrose throughout his campaigns, to his grand- 
son, shortly before the battle of Killiecrankie." 

Page 121j line 9. — The pibroch. This is properly the wild ir- 
regular music, peculiar to the Scottish Highlands, performed upon 
the bagpipe ; but the name is sometimes applied figuratively to the 
bagpipe itself. 

Page 122j line \\.^-Lochab€r''s snows. The Braes of Lochaber 
are a mountainous district, inhabited by the clan of Cameron, near 
Fort William. Iiiverlochy'^ s shore, with the ruined Castle of Inver- 
lochy, is in the same vicinity, at the mouth of the Lundy, a river that 
empties into Loch Eil. Here the Marquis of Montrose, in 1645, 
won a decisive victory over his great adversary, the Marquis of Ar- 



THE EXECUTION OF MONTROSE. 195 

gyle, who lost more than 1500 men in the battle. The engagement 
is described at great length in Scott's Legend of Montrose. 

Line 15. — What time. At the time when; a construction now 
used only in poetry, but formerly sometimes in prose. Compare 
Psalms, Ivi. 3, A^umbers, xxvi. lo, Job, vi. 17. The full phrase at what 
time occurs in Daniel, iv. 5. 

Line 21. — Dundee. The town on the Firth of Tay, east coast of 
Scotland. 

Line 25. — A traitor sold him. This was Macleod of Assynt, a 
former adherent of Montrose, from whom he had reason to expect 
sympathy and assistance. He received for his treachery " four hun- 
dred bolls of meal." 

Line 29. — The mountain's side. *' The mountain side" would be 
preferable for euphony, or smoothness of sound. 

Line 37. — The Watergate. Of Edinburgh. 

Line 40. — Fenceless. Defenceless. Milton uses the word in 
Paradise Lost, x. 303. 

Fag's 123, line 45. — As a hound is slipped from leash. Compare 
Shakespeare, Coriolanus, \. 6. 38 : 

" Holding Corioli in the name of Rome, 
Even like a fawning greyhound in the leash, 
To let him slip at will." 

Line 53. — Whig west-country lords. " Whigwzs originally a nick- 
name for the peasantry of the Western Lowlands of Scotland. Its 
next application was to the bands of Covenanters, chiefly from the 
west of Scotland, who took up arms against the government. Thence 
the name came to be fastened on the Presbyterian zealots of Scot- 
land generally." Later it became a party name in England, and in 
recent times in this country, though now obsolete on both sides of 
the Atlantic. 

Line 56. — A-ro7u. In a row ; the a being prepositional. See note 
on page 82, line 266. 

Line 59. — The word carle or carl originally meant "a robust, 
strong, or hardy man," but came to be used contemptuously in the 
sense of " boor, rustic, clown, or churl." 

Line 61. — Bid tvhen he came, etc. Aytoun quotes here the Wig- 
ton Papers : " In all the way, there appeared in him such majesty, 
courage, modesty — and even somewhat more than natural — that 
those common women who had lost their husbands and children in 
his wars, and who were hired to stone him, were upon the sight of 
him so astonished and moved that their intended curses turned into 
tears and prayers ; so that next day all the ministers preached against 
them for not stoning and reviling him." 



196 NOTES. 

Page 124j line 77. — Then first a woman' s voice was heard, etc. 
According to the Wigton Papers, out of many thousand spectators 
the only one who "did publicly insult and laugh at him" was the 
Lady Jean Gordon, Countess of Haddington. She was an infamous 
woman, and the niece of Argyle. 

Line 84. — The master-fiend Argyle. It must be borne in mind 
that it is a bitter enemy who is supposed to call him so. Archibald 
Campbell, Marquis of Argyle, born in 1598, became the leader of 
the Covenanters. As we have seen, Montrose defeated his army at 
Inverlochy. He finally met the same fate as his gallant rival, being 
convicted of treason for having submitted to Cromwell, and executed 
at Edinburgh on the 27th of May, 1661. It is said that he "dis- 
played throughout his trial and on the scaffold the dignity of a true 
nobleman and the meekness of a Christian." 

Lines 94-96. — Back, coward, etc. This is substantially what an 
Englishman is said to have "cried up" to him at the time. 

Line 100. — The slogan-cry. The battle-cry of the Highlanders. 

Page 126, line 102. — Might of mailed men. Note the allitera- 
tion ; as also in lines loi and 104. See note on page 46, line 55. 

Line no. — The solemn hall. Of the Parliament Ho\ise, which 
adjoined or was part of the old Tolbooth (see cut on p. 125) and was 
also known as the "Heart of Midlothian." It stood close to St. 
Giles's Church until 181 7, when it was pulled down. 

Line 117. — Warristoun. "Archibald Johnston of Warristoun. 
This man, who was the inveterate enemy of Montrose, and who car- 
ried the most selfish spirit into every intrigue of his party, received 
the punishment of his treasons about eleven years afterwards " (Ay- 
toun). 

Line 123. — Saint Andreiv's cross. On the Scottish flag. See note 
on page 45, line 40. 

Line 127. — That dark stream of royal blood. Alluding to the ex- 
ecution of Charles I. in 1649. 

Page 127, line 141. — Then nail my head on yonder tower, etc. 
On the night before his execution, Montrose inscribed the following 
lines with a diamond on the window of his prison : 

" Let them bestow on every airth * a limb, 
Then open all my veins, that I may swim 
To thee, my Maker, in that crimson lake ; 
Then place my parboiled head upon a stake — 

* The word is also spelled airt, art, and arth, and means " a point of the com- 
pass, especially one of the four cardinal points." Compare Burns's Song: 
"Of a' the airts the wind can blaw, 
I dearly lo'e the west." 



KILLIECRANK-TE AND THE DBA TH OFDUNDEE. 197 

Scatter my ashes— strew them in the air ; 

Lord, since thou knowest where all these atoms are, 

I'm hopeful thou'lt recover once my dust, 

And confident thou'lt raise me with the just" 

In 1661 the dust was recovered, the scattered remnants collected, 
and the bones of the hero conveyed to their final resting-place in 
the church of St. Giles, where a monument was erected to his mem- 
ory. 

Page 128, line i-jo.—Like a bridegroom. "He was very richly 
clad in fine scarlet, laid over with rich silver lace, his hat in his hand, 
his bands and cuffs exceeding rich, his delicate white gloves on his 
hands, his stockings of incarnate silk, and his shoes with their rib- 
bons on his feet ; and sarks provided for him with pearling about, 
above ten pounds the elne. All these were provided for him by his 
friends, and a pretty cassock put on upon him, upon the scaffold, 
wherein he was hanged. To be short, nothing was here deficient to 
honor his poor carcase, more beseeming a bridegroom than a crim- 
inal going to the gallows" (Nicholl's Diary, quoted by Aytoun). 

Page 129, line 193. — The grim Geneva ministers. "The Pres- 
byterian ministers beset Montrose both in prison and on the scaffold " 
(Aytoun). They are called Genei<a ministers on account of their Cal- 
vinistfc theology. John Calvin spent most of his life in Geneva. 

Line 20%.— As it were. See note on page 155, line 140. 



KILLTECRANKIE AND THE DEATH OF DUNDEE. 

John Grahame of Claverhouse, Viscount of Dundee, was born 
about 1650. After studying at the University of St. Andrews he 
served some time in France as a volunteer, and afterwards went to 
Holland. He returned to Scotland in 1677, and became captain in 
a troop of dragoons engaged in enforcing the laws against the Cov- 
enanters. In 1689 he raised a band of Highlanders to fight for James 
II., and was killed at Killiecrankie, as here related by Scott. He was 
described by his enemies as a fiend in human shape ; and Macaulay 
calls him "a soldier of distinguished courage and professional skill, 
but rapacious and profane, of violent temper and obdurate heart." 
Aytoun, on the other hand, who defends him against the charges of 
Macaulay, says that, according to the writings of his contemporaries, 
who knew him, he was " stainless in his honor, pure in his faith, wise 
in council, resolute in action, and utterly free from that selfishness 
which disgraced many of the Scottish statesmen of his time." We 
are admonished to " regard him in connection with the age and coun- 
trv in which he lived," and to remember that, in the bitter contest 



198 NOTES. 

then going on in Scotland, both parties were guilty of many atrocities. 
Dundee, in the words of another critic, *' was neither the best nor the 
worst of his class." 

Page 130, line I. — The castle of Blair. This castle, the ancient 
seat of the Earls of Athol (or Athole), is near the village of Blair 
Athole, which is now a station on the Highland Railway, from Perth 
to Inverness, running through the Pass of Killiecrankie. Dunkeld, 
at the other end of the pass, is 20 miles from Blair Athole, and 16 
from Perth. The wildest part of the pass, or the pass proper, how- 
ever, is only about a mile and a half in length. The battle-field is 
near the Killiecrankie station, about three miles from Blair Athole. 

Line 10. — Amojigst. This is only an "extended" form oi among, 
which is now generally preferred. 

Line 23. — MacKay's superior army. General MacKay was the 
commander of the English forces in Scotland. 

Page 131, line 39. — English and Dutch regiments. The Dutch 
soldiers were part of the army which William IH. had brought over 
from Holland in 1688, when he wrested the throne of England from 
James H. 

Page 132, line 78. — Cuirass. A piece of defensive armor, cover- 
ing the body from the neck to the girdle. The word is French, and 
is derived from cuir, meaning leather. The cuirass was made either 
of leather, protected in front and back with steel plates, or entirely 
of steel. 



THE BURIAL MARCH OF DUNDEE. 

This poem is in trochaic measure. See introduction to the notes 
on Edinbiirgh after Elodden (page 181). 

Page 135, line I. — Sloj^an. Compare page 124, line 100 ; and 
ior pibroch, page 121, line 9. 

Page 130, line 38. — On his shield. Sleeping on it. For a dif- 
ferent sense, compare the story of the Spartan mother giving the 
shield to her son going to the war with the parting injunction, 
"With this, or on it." Just what did she mean.? 

Lines 42, 43. — That falcon eye, etc. Explain the figures in these 
lines ; also the one in line 46. 

Page 137, line 76. — Schehalliotis lofty brow. The mountain is 
3547 feet high, and is said to have afforded a refuge to Robert the 
Bruce after the battle of Methven. It was on this mountain that 
Maskelyne, the astronomer royal, made his experiments in 1777 for 
ascertaining the weight of the earth. 

Line 81. — The Royal Martyr. Charles I. of England. 



THE BURIAL MARCH OF DUNDEE. 199 

Line 85. — Him whom butchers murdered, etc. James Sharpe, 
archbishop of St. Andrews, who was assassinated by a band of fanat- 
ical Covenanters on the 3d of May, 1679. " His government of the 
Scottish church was tyrannical and oppressive, and in consequence 
he became an object of hatred to most of his countrymen. When 
one Mitchell, a conventicle preacher, fired a pistol at him in the 
streets of Edinburgh [in 1668] the populace allowed the intending 
assassin to walk quietly off, without making a single effort to arrest 
him " (Chambers). 

Ta^e 138, line 95. — Their pale Conveutioft. A meeting of the 
Estates of Scotland, called by the Prince of Orange in March, 1689. 
Its principal act was to settle the Scottish crown upon William and 
Mary. 

Line 107. — ^ deeper echo. Is this literal or figurative.? Ex- 
plain it. 

Line 109. — The lands of wide Breadalbane. An extensive district 
in Scotland, forming the western part of the county of Perth. The 
Marquis of Breadalbane is the chief proprietor. 

Page 139, line 127. — Leslie's foot and Leven's troopers. Infantry 

and cavalry in the English army, commanded by the officers named. 

Line 138. — The hurricane of steel. Explain this. 

Line i2,().—Macdonald. Coll Macdonald of Keppoch who, with 

his band of Highlanders, had joined Dundee's forces not long before 

the battle. 

Line 140. — Locheill. Sir Evan Cameron of Locheill, or Lochiel, 
chief of the large and powerful clan of Cameron. He was also known 
as Evan Dhu, or Black Evan, from his dark complexion. Scott, in 
the Tales of a Grajidfather, tells many interesting stories of him; 
this, for instance : " Being benighted, on some party for the battle or 
the chase, Evan Dhu laid himself down with his followers to sleep in 
the snow. As he composed himself to rest he observed that one of 
his sons or nephews had rolled together a great snowball, on which 
he deposited his head. Indignant at what he considered as a mark 
of effeminacy, he started up and kicked the snowlall from under the 
sleeper's head, exclaiming, ' Are you become so luxurious that you 
cannot sleep without a pillow ?' " After the civil war was over he 
grew old in peace, dying in 1719 at the age of ninety. In his last 
years, Scott says that " this once formidable warrior was fed like an 
infant, and like an infant rocked in a cradle." 

Line 148.— 77/^ Garry's deepest pool. The Garry is the river flow- 
ing through the Pass of Killiecrankie. 

Page 140, line 177. — O thou lion-hearted warrior. Of what fig- 
ures have we examples here ? 



200 NOTES. 

Page 141, line 185. — The latest trumpet. Compare Revelations, 
X. 6, 7, and xi. 15-18. 



ROB ROY. 

Page 142, line 7. — Inversnaid. A town near the head of Loch 
Lomond, on the east side. The road from here to Loch Katrine 
(five miles distant) passes the old cottage in which Helen McGregor, 
Rob Roy's wife, was born. A little to the north of this are the ruins 
of Inversnaid Fort, erected by government in 17 13, to check the Mc- 
Gregors. It was at one time the quarters of General Wolfe. 

Page 143, line 17. — M^if^pen in tlie Lennox. The district to the 
east of the lower part of Loch Lomond. The ruins of one stronghold 
of the once powerful family of Lennox are to be seen in the neighbor- 
hood of Balloch at the foot of the lake ; and those of another are on 
the island of Inchmurrin about two miles away. Kippen is now the 
name of a station on the railway from Balloch to Stirling, aboiit 20 
miles from the former. Compare page 88, line 24. 

Line 37. — And who. The and is superfluous. See note on page 
53, line 14. 

Page 144, line 50. — Doiigal Ciar. An ancestor Of Rob Roy, 
called Dougal or Dugald Ciar Mhor, or the "great mouse-colored 
man" {Ciar is pronounced Kiar), of whom Scott gives an account 
in the introduction to Rob Roy. He lived in the i6th century. 

Page 140, line 112. — Glen Dochart. A few miles northwest of 
the upper end of Loch Lomond, 

Line 125. — 'I'he world and the world\'! law^ etc. From Romeo and 
Juliet, V. I. 72 : " The world is not thy friend, nor the world's law." 

Line 131. — The death of the great Marquis. See page 121. 

Line 132. — The defeat at Inverlochy. See note on page 122, line 
14. The plundering of Lorn by Montrose occurred in the winter of 
1644. 

Page 147, line 155. — Balquhidder. A district about twelve 
miles northwest of Callander. Rob Roy's grave is in the church- 
yard of the village of Balquhidder. 

Page 149, line 209. — Robin Hood of England. A famous out- 
law, whose exploits are narrated in old tales and ballads. Of his 
real history little or nothing is known. Scott introduces him as a 
character in his novel oi Ivanhoe. Compare our Tales of Chivalry, 
pages 84-91. 

The cut on page 149 represents Rob Roy's sporan,ox purse, which, 
like the articles delineated on pages 52 (spur from Otterburn), 56 (old 



BA TTLE OF PRESTON FANS. 



201 




BALQUHIDDER. 



hunting-horn and sword), 62, 72, and 205, is from Scott's interesting 
collection of antiquities at Abbotsford. 



BATTLE OF PRESTON PANS. 

Preston Pans* is a village on the Firth of Forth, about eight 
miles east of Edinburgh, so called from the pans formerly used there 
for making salt out of sea-water. The battle here described occurred 
on the 2ist of September, 1745. This account of it, from Scott's 
novel of Waverley, is true to history in the main, though some of the 
minor details are fictitious. 

Charles Edward Lewis Casimir Stuart, often called the Younger 
Pretender, was the son of James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales, 
the Elder Pretender, who was the son of James IL of England, de- 
posed in the Revolution of 1688. He claimed to be the rightful king 
of England, and in 1744, aided by the French, he gathered a fleet and 

• The name is now generally printed as one word, Prestonpans. Scott spent a 
part of his childhood at this place. See our Tales 0/ Chivuilry, page 6. 



202 NOTES. 

army for the purpose of regaining the throne ; but his ships were 
scattered by a storm, and the invasion was given up. In 1745 he 
went to Scotland, where he raised an army, took Edinburgh, and de- 
feated the English at Preston Pans. He then invaded England, but 
was obliged to retreat to Scotland, where he was routed by the Eng- 
lish at the battle of CuUoden, after which the shattered remnant of 
his army was dispersed and he himself compelled to take refuge in the 
Highlands. After many perilous adventures he escaped to France, 
and finally died in Rome on the 30th of January, 1788. 

Page 150j line 6. — Seaton and Cockenzie. The latter village is 
on the sea-coast, two miles from Preston ; the former is about two 
miles inland from Cockenzie. 

Faj^e 151 J line 11. — The English general. Sir John Cope. 

Line 17. — The Chevalier. That is, Prince Charles Edward. 

Line 33. — Point of war. As the context implies, a particular sig- 
nal given by means of military music. 

Page 152, line 47. — Thick as leaves in Vallombrosa. This famil- 
iar quotation is from Milton's Pay'adise Lost, i. 302 : 

" Thick as autumnal leaves that strew the brooks 
In Vallombrosa, where the Etrurian shades 
High over-arch'd imbower." 

Vallombrosa was a famous abbey in Tuscany, at an elevation of 
about 3000 feet on the wooded mountains near Florence. It was 
founded in the nth century, and suppressed in 1869. The build- 
ings are now occupied by a school of forestry. 

Line 51. — Fergus. Fergus Mac-Ivor is a Highland chieftain, one 
of the fictitious characters in Waverley ; and Edward Waverley, the 
hero of the novel, is another. 

Line 57, — Opiate. The word literally means a preparation of 
opium, used to diminish nervous excitement or to produce sleep. 
Here it is used metaphorically, and is explained by the context. 

Line 60. — Galium. Callum Beg, one of Fergus's Highland fol- 
lowers. 

Line 63. — Gaelic. The language of the Highlanders. 

Pjlge 154, line 116. — The adventurer. Prince Charles Edward. 
Scott prints adventurer with a capital. 

Line 122. — l^halanx. The word is of Greek origin, and is applied 
to a body of troops formed in close array. In the Greek phalanx, 
the men, clad in armor, bore their shields so as to form a continuous 
bulwark, while the long sj^ears of the successive ranks overlapped 
one another, presenting a firm and serried front to the io^. 

Line 125. — The words were synonynions. In what sense are best 
armed and best born here synonymous, or of the same meaning .? 



LOCHIELS WARNING. 



203 



Line 132. — Win silks for our tartans. That is, by plundering the 
conquered enemy. 

Page 155, line 140. — As it would. That is, as //it would. This 
use oi as was formerly common. Compare Macbeth^ i. 4. 11 : 

"To throw away the dearest thing he owed [had], 
As 't were a careless trifle." 

Page 156, line 200. — Colonel Gardiner. A prominent officer on 
the English side. He fell close to the park of Bankton House, his res- 
idence, and a monument to his memory has been erected on the spot. 



LOCHIEL'S WARNING. 




THOMAS CAMPBELL. 



Thomas Campbell was born in Glasgow, July 27, 1777, and was 
educated at the university of that city and in Germany. His first 
published poem (1799) was The Pleasures of Hope, from which he is 
known as "the Bard of Hope." Gertrude of Wyoming, his only 



204 NOTES. 

other poem of any considerable length, appeared in 1809. In 1826 
he was appointed lord rector of the University of Glasgow. He 
wrote a Life of Mrs. Siddons and another of Petrarch, besides minor 
works in prose. He died June 15, 1844, and was buried in Poet's 
Corner, Westminster Abbey. 

Pag-e 158, line i. — Lochiel. Donald Cameron of Lochiel was a 
famous Highland chieftain who was the most important adherent of 
Charles Edward in Scotland. The Pretender would not have ven- 
tured on the war without his support. He captured Edinburgh, 
and was wounded at CuUoden, after which he fled to France. The 
ruins of his castle at Auchnacarry are still to be seen near Loch 
Arkaig. It was burned by the Duke of Cumberland in his ravaging 
march through the country after the victory at Culloden. The mem- 
ory of the " gentle Lochiel," as he was called, is still fondly cherished 
in the Highlands. 

The metre of this poem is anapestic, the accents being regularly 
on every third syllable — the 3d, 6th, 9th, and 12th. It is supposed 
to be made up oi anapests, the anapest being a xntincdA foot consisting 
of two unaccented syllables and an accented syllable. In the 2d, 3d, 
and 4th lines the metre is regular throughout : 

" When the Low'- | lands shall meet' | thee in bat'- | tie array'! 
For a field' | of the dead' | rushes red' | on my sight', 
And the clans' | of Cullo'- | den are scat'- | tered in fight'." 

But in the ist line the iambus takes the place of the anapest in the 
first three feet : " Lochiel', | Lochiel', | beware' | of the day' ;" and 
the same substitution occyrs in many other parts of the poem. 

Line 7. — Proud Cumberland. The Duke of Cumberland, com- 
mander of the English army. 

Line 15. — Albin. "The Gaelic appellation of Scotland, more 
particularly the Highlands" (Campbell), 

Page 169, line 24. — Proud bird of the mountain, etc. Explain 
the figurative language. 

Line 36. — Whose banners arise, etc. It was on the battlements at 
Auchnacarry that the standard of the Pretender was first displayed 
in the Highlands. 

Line 39. — The blackness of ashes, etc. A prediction of the burn- 
ing of the castle referred to above. 

Line 50. — Clanranald zud Moray were noted Highland chiefs who 
joined the Pretender. 

Page 100, line 55. — ^Tis the sunset of life gives me mystical lore. 
What the Scotch called "second sight," or prophetic vision. 

Lines 59, 60. — Lo! anointed by Heaven, etc. "The lines allude 
to the many hardships of the royal sufferer" (Campbell). He was 



LOCHIEUS WARNING. 



205 



a fugitive for five months in the Highlands before he eluded his pur- 
suers and got on board a French vessel. 

Line 6().—Ah, no ! for a darker departure is near. The gloomy 
predictions of the seer in the lines that follow were not fulfilled. 
They are evidently added for poetical effect. 




SWORDS FROM CULLODEN. 



INDEX OF WORDS AND PHRASES 
EXPLAINED. 



a , 2. 

a- (prepositional), 182, 195. 
Aberdeen, 169. 
Aberdour, 169. 
aboon, 4. 

address (=skill), 114. 
adhibited, 107. 
adjudication, 147. 
adventurer, the, 202. 
aff, 58. 
ain, 5. 
airth, 196. 
alake, 3. 
Albin, 158, 204. 
Allah illah Allah, 172. 
Allan, Robert, 193. 
alliteration, 174, 196. 
amain, 48, 176. 
amongst, 19S. 
anapestic measure, 204. 
and (superfluous), 177, 200. 
Andrew, Saint, 174. 
an' if, 176. 
ane, 4, 60. 

anointed sovereign, 190. 
apathy, 106. 
apostrophe, 176. 
Argyle, Marquis of, 196. 
a-row, 123, 195. 
as (=as if), 203. 
a-singing, 182. 
Assynt, 195. 
. atabals, 47. 
auld, 3. 
Aytoun, William Edmondstoune, i74- 

ballad, 165. 
Ballengiech, 184. 
Balquhidder, 200. 
Bambrough Shire, 178. 
Barton, Andrew, 180. 
Bastard Heron, the, 68. 
be (=is), 191. 
beacons (verb), 159- 
Bell-the-Cat, 96. 
Bennarty, n8. 
bent (—field), 59. 



Berwick Castle, 171. 
betide me weal, 46, 175. 
bide (=abide), 76. 
bide (=wait for), 59. 
Blair Castle, 198. 
blindit, 1. 
blude-red, i, 167. 
Bohun, Henry de, 173. 
Border, the Scottish, 165. 
Borough-moor, the, 181. 
Bothwell Castle, 177. 
bourne (=brook), 179. 
bout, 4. 

bow (^window), 123. 
bracken, 60. 
braid, i, 60. 
brak, 3. 

brand (—sword), 45. 
braver (adverb), 182. 
Breadalbane, 199. 
bring home. 168. 
broke (=::broken), 84, 183. 
brooked, 77. 
Bruce, Robert, 169. 
burghers, 76. 
Burgundie, 175. 
burn (=brook), 58, 179. 
butts, 191. 

ca', 58. 

cabals, 104, iqi. 
Callum Beg, 202. 
Cameron, Sir Evan. 199. 
Campbell, Archibald, 196. 
Campbell, Thomas, 203. 
carles, 123, 195. 
casque, 77. 
cassock, 132. 
Chevalier, the, 202. 
claith, 4. 
Clanranald, 204. 
claymore, 122. 
Cockenzie, 202. 
colleague, 95. 
Cope, Sir John, 202. 
commons, 102. 
Comyn, John, 169. 



208 



INDEX OF WORDS AND PHRASES. 



conjure, 104. 

Convention (of 1689), 199. 

corpse-candles, 113, 192. 

corslet, 76. 

couched a spear, 77, 181. 

countrie (accent), 177. 

Cramond, Bridge of, 184. 

cross-bolts, 49. 

cuirass, 132, 198. 

Cumberland, 158, 204. 

cup (figurative), 183. 

Dalkeith, 177. 

Dairy, 171. 

Daruley, Lord, 185. 

dayis, 58. 

demit, 104. 

Dickson, Thomas, 172. 

dight, 59. 

discharge (^prohibit), 181. 

Dochart, Glen, 200. 

doffed, 76- 

doubt (= suspect), 7, 170. 

Dougai Ciar, 200. 

doughty, 57. 

Douglas, Archibald, 96. 

Douglas, the Black, 36, 40. 

dree, 50, 177. 

drive a prey, 178. 

Dundee (town), 195. 

Dundee, Viscount of, 197. 

Dunedin, 77, 181. 

Dunfermline, i, 167. 

Dutch regiments, 198. 

e'e, 2. 

either (were), 179. 

eldern, 1. 

Elmo, Saint, no, 192. 

erst, 79. 

eyne, 48, 176. 

fa', 58. 

faem, 1. 

fain, 60. 

fause, 58. 

fell (=hill), 50. 57- 

female (bad use of), 186. 

fenceless, 195. 

fend, 58. 

Fergus Mac-Ivor, 202. 

figurative language, 176. 

flattered, 4. 

flinders, 6i. 

for to, 179. 

freit, 44. 

Froissart, Jean, 56, 178. 

fu', 2. 

fusees, 133. 

gae, 4- 
Gaelic, 203. 
galliard, 103, 190. 



gane, 3, 4- 
gang, 3- 

Gardiner, Colonel, 203. 
Garry, the, 199. 
gauntleted, 106. 
Geneva mmisters, 197- 
Gordon, Lady Jean, 196 
Gordons, 178. 
gowd, 2- 
Graemes, 178 
Graham, James, 194. 
Graham, John, 197. 
Grassmarket, the, 171, 
grisly, 74. 
gronde, 62. 
gude, 3. 
gurly, 3. 

hadna, 2. 

hae, 2. 

half-fou, 3. 

hame, 1. 

harness (=armor), 74. 

harquebuss, 117, 193. 

have down, 47, 175. ' 

Hawick, 191. 

heavy-headed, 115. 

Hermitage Castle, 190. 

Heron, the Bastard, 68. 

hirsute, 148. 

honde, 62. 

horse (=cavalry), 154. 

hoysed, 2, 168. 

hundred (metonymy), 192. 

iambic verse, 167. 
indifferently, 177- 
Inverlochy's shore, 194, 200. 
Inversnaid, 200. 
irony, 189. 

James, Earl of Murray, 190. 
James V. of Scotland, 184. 
Jardines, 178. 
jennet, 105. 

kaims, 5. 

kale, 58. 

kelpie, 118, 193. 

ken, 60. 

kent (verb), 115, 192. 

kerchief, loi, 190. 

Killiecrankie, Pass of, 198. 

kindly ( = native), 175. 179- 

kindly tenants, 144. 

Kinross, 192. 

Kippen, 184, 200. 

Kirk of Field, the, x86. 

laith, 4. 

Lammas tide, 57. 
lang, 4- 
lap (=:sprang), 3. 



INDEX OF WORDS AND PHRASES. 



209 



leaguer, 81, 
leash, 123, 195. 
lee, 60. 

Lennox, the, 200, 
Leslie's foot, 199. 
Leven. Loch, 186. 
Leven's troopers, 199. 
levin-bolt, 127. 
lieges, 100. 
lift {=sky), 3. 
lilies, France's, 175. 
Lindesays, 178. 
Linlithgow, 171. 
lion-like (figure), 176. 
literal language, 176. 
Lochaber, Braes of, 194. 
Lochiel, 199, 204. 
Lochleven Castle, 186. 
Lomond, Loch, 171. 
Lorn, 171, 200. 
loun, 61. 
lyart, 51, 177. 

Macdonald, Coll, 199. 

Macduff, 170. 

Mac Kay, General, 198. 

Macleod of Assynt, 195. 

magnates, 102. 

Magus Muir, 137. 

Maiden City, 183. 

Maiden Town, 181. 

mail (=armor), 80. 

mail-gardener, no. 

mair, 4. 

make in, 176. 

Mary Queen of Scots, 185. 

Marys, the, 191. 

masque, loj, 190. 

maiui, I. 

may (=can), 176, 190. 

measure, ballad, 167. 

Melrose (accent), 177. 

merry men, 175, 179. 

metaphor, 182. 

Methven, 171. 

metonymy, 192. 

might (3=could), 176. 

minion, 190. 

minstrels, 165. 

Miserere. 82, 182. 

mitred abbots, 180. 

Monenday, 2. 

Montrose, Marquis of, 194. 

mony, 4. 

Moray, 204. 

Murray, Earl of, 190. 

nae, 4. 

neist, 2. 

news (number), 181. 

northern streamers, 181. 

O (in ballads), 167. 
14 



opiate, 202. 
Otterbourne, 178. 

pacification, 99. 
pallions, 59. 
pass thee first, 176. 
perilled, 80. 
personification, 176. 
petard, 93. 
phalanx, 154, 202. 
physiognomists, 189. 
pibroch, 121, 135, 194, 198. 
Pinkiecleugh, 190. 
point of war, ao2. 
predatory, 143. 
Preston Pans, 201. 
Pretender, the, 201. 
provost, 77. 

queenis, 2. 

R. (abbreviation), 191. 
recks, 60. 
rede, 46, 174. 
redoubted, 10. 
Reidswire fells, 178. 
resetter, 114. 
rest (of spear), 176. 
rhyme, imperfect, 179. 

" middle, 168. 
right (adverb), 182. 
rins, 58. 

Rizzio, David, 98, 185, 189. 
Robin Hood, 200. 
rose-noble, 65, 180. 
Roslyn Castle, 172. 
Roxburgh Castle, 172. 
Royal Lion, the, 182. 
Royal Martyr, the, 198. 

sad-colored, 132. 

sae, 2. 

Saint Andrew, 174, 196, 

Saint Andrews, 191. 

Saint Elmo, 192. 

sair, 60. 

sail, i^S. 

satellites, 145. 

saut, 61. 

Schehallion, 137, 199. 

Scone, 170. 

Scott, Sir Walter, 169. 

Scottish lion, 175. 

scutcheon, 93, 186. 

Seaton, 202. 

seneschal, 97, 189. 

Sharpe, Archbishop, 199. 

shield, on his, 198. 

shoon, 4, 179. 

shriven, 129. 

sic, 3. 

simile. 176, 182. 

skeely, i, 167. 



INDEX OF WORDS AND PHRASES. 



skipper (accent), 167. 

Sky, Isle of, 179. 

sleeps for a wager, 193. 

slipped from leash, 123, 195. 

slogan, 135, 196, 198. 

smote (=smitten), 181. 

soothsayer, 112. 

Southron, 79. 

spear in rest, 176. 

spell (=understand), 113. 

sporan, 200. 

Stirling Castle, 184. 

stour, 50. 

Stuart, Charles Edward, 201. 

Stuart, Mary, 185. 

supped upon poppy-porridge, 193. 

swakked, 60, 179. 

swapped, 61, 179. 

swat, 60, 179. 

sworder, iii. 

sycophants, loi. 

lane, 58, 178. 
taster, 192. 
tauld, 2. 

Terouenne, 180. 
that (=so that), 179. 
thee (=:thou), 176. 
them (reflexive), 192. 
tone (=the one), 178. 
tother, 179. 
trochaic measure, 181. 
trumpet, the latest, 200. 
tuck (of drum), 139. 
twa, 179. 
twae, 2. 
Twisell, 180. 
Tyne, the, 178. 



unwittingly, 104. 
up and spake, 167. 

vail (=lower), 177. 
Vallombrosa, 202. 
vestibule, 94. 

wa', 58. 

wad, 58. 

wadset, 144. 

Wallace, 83, 183. 

wap, 4. 

warder, 73. 

Warristoun, 196. 

wat, 4, 60. 

Watergate (Edinburgh), 195. 

wavering (trumpet), 175. 

Waverley, Edward, 202. 

weal, 46. 

weary sea, 175. 

weel, 58. 

weet, 2. 

west-country lords, 195. 

wha, 2. 

what time, 195. 

which (omitted), 182. 

Whig, 195. 

white monie, 168. 

who (omitted), 167. 

with a vengeance, 170, 

Wodensday, 2, 168. 

Wooler, 180. 

wrang, 169. 

yeomen, 85, 184. 
yestreen, 3. 
you (reflexive), 181. 
Yule, 139. 




OLD GATE, HOLYROOD. 



TO TEACHERS OF THE ENGLISH CLASSICS. 



COURSES OF STUDY IN SHAKESPEARE. 

ARRANGED WITH REFERENCE TO THE TIME TO BE 

DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF THE POET, AND 

ALSO TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE 

LEADING COLLEGES AS A PART 

OF THE PREPARATION 

FOR ADMISSION. 

The attentioQ of classical teachers is called to the fact that 
certain plays of Shakespeare are now required by most of our 
leading colleges as a part of the preparation for admission. 
Harvard College (followed by Dartmouth, Trinity, and 
Wesleyan University) specifies Julius Gmav and Macbeth for 
the examination of 1886, Julius Cmsar and the Merchant of Ven- 
ice for 1887, Julius Ccesar and Twelfth Night for 1888, and Julius 
Cmsar and As You Like It for 1889. Brown University re- 
quires the same, except that the Merchant is omitted for 1887, 
and Julius Ccesar and the Midsunimer-NighVs Dream are added 
for 1890. Williams College follows Harvard for 1886 and 
1887, no announcement being made as yet for 1888, etc. Am- 
herst College has the same requirements for 1886 and 1888, 
but substitutes As You Like It for the Merchant in 1887. Tufts 
College follows Harvard for 1886, 1887, and 1888, with the 
omission of Julius Ccesar in 1886. Boston University follows 
Harvard for 1886, the only year announced. The University 
OF Vermont requires only Richard III. for 1886, and Julius 
Ccesar for 1887. 

A glance at the catalogues and calendars of other first-class 
institutions tbroughout the country will show that the majority 
of them are also requiring a knowledge of these English clas- 
sics for admission to their privileges. 

Mr. Rolfe often receives letters from teachers asking what 
plaj'S he would recommend for school use, and in what order 
they should be taken up. The Merchant was the first piny he 
edited for schools, because he regarded it as, on the whole, the 
best to begin with ; though for classical schools he would prefer 
Julius CcBsar, which, as shown above, is required every year by 
the great majority of the colleges. If tico plays can be read, the 
Merchant and Julius Ccesar may be commended, or either of 



(2) 
these, with As You Like It (or Macbeth, which is the shortest of 
the great tragedies and the best for an ordinary school course). 
For a selection of three plays, take the Merchant (or Julius Gce- 
sar), As You Like It (or Twelftli Night or Much Ado), and Mac- 
beth. One of the English historical plays {King John, Richard 
11, Henry IV., Part I., or Henry V.) may be substituted for the 
second in the list, if preferred ; and Hamlet, which is about twice 
as long as MacbetJt, for the latter play, if time permits and the 
teacher chooses. If a fourth play is wanted, add The Tem'pest 
to the list. Macbeth and Tlie Tempest together (4061 lines) are 
but a trifle longer than Hamlet (3929 lines), and can be easily read 
in the same time. For ajiftli play, Hamlet, Lear, or Coriolanus 
may be added; or, if a shorter and lighter play is preferred, 
the Midsummer-Nights I>/*mm, which, in a course of five plays, 
might well be put first, as a specimen of the dramatist's early 
work. A course of five plays, arranged with special reference 
to the illustration of Shakespeare's career as a writer, might be 
this: A Midsummer- NigMs Dream (early comedy); Bichard 11. , 
Henry IV., Part I., or Henry V. (English historical period): As 
You Like It, Twelfth Night, or Much Ado (later comedy); Mac- 
beth, Hamlet, or Lear (period of the great tragedies) ; and The 
Tempest or Winter's Tale (the latest plays, or "Romances"), 
For a series of six plays, instead of one English historical play 
take two: Richard III, Richard 11, or King John (earlier his- 
tory, 1593-1595), and Henry IV., Part I., or Henry V. (later his- 
tory, or "history and comedy united," 1597-1599). For a series 
of seven, insert in the list either Romeo and Juliet (early tragedy) 
before "early history," or the Merchant (middle comedy) after 
"early history;" and for a series of eight, include both these. 
Henry VIII. could be added to any of the longer series as a 
very late play, of which Shakespeare wrote only a part, and 
which was completed by Fletcher. The Taming of the Shrew 
may be mentioned incidentally as an earlier play that is inter- 
esting as being partly from another hand than Shakespeare's. 

Certain plays, like GymbeUne, Othello, and Antony and Cleopa- 
tra, are not to be commended for "mixed" schools or classes, 
but may be used in others at the discretion of the teacher. 

The Sonnets may well be introduced to give variety to any ex- 
tended course in Shakespeare. Young people always get inter- 
ested in the Sonnets, if their attention is once called to them. 
Rolfe's Edition is in all respects adapted for school or college use. 

See list of Rolft^s English Classics on following page. 



ENGLISH CLASSICS. 

Edited by WM. J. ROLFE, A.M. 

Illustrated. i6mo, Cloth, 56 cents per vol. ; Paper, 40 
cents per vol. 

Shakespeare's Works: 

The Merchant of Venice. — The Tempest. — King Henry 
the Eighth. — Julius Caesar. — King Richard the Second. 
— Othello. — Macbeth.— Romeo and Juliet. — A Midsum- 
mer-Night's Dream. — King Richard the Third. — King 
Henry the Fifth. — Hamlet. — As You Like It.— Much 
Ado About Nothing.— Twelfth Night.— The Winter's 
Tale. — King John. — King Henry the Fourth. Part I. 
— King Henry the Fourth. Part II. — King Lear. — The 
Taming of the Shrew.— All 's Well that Ends Well.— 
Coriolanus. — The Comedy of Errors. — Cymbeline. — An- 
tony and Cleopatra. — Measure for Measure. — Merry 
Wives of Windsor. — Love's Labour 's Lost. — Two Gen- 
tlemen of Verona. — Timon of Athens. — Troilus and 
Cressida. — King Henry the Sixth. Part I. — King Henry 
the Sixth. Part II.— King Henry the Sixth. Part III. 
— Pericles, Prince of Tyre. — The Two Noble Kinsmen. 
— Poems. — Sonnets. — Titus Andronicus. 

Goldsmith's Select Poems. 

Gray's Select Poems. 

Robert Browning's A Blot in the 'Scutch- 
eon, AND Other Dramas. 

Robert Browning's Select Poems. 

Milton's Minor Poems. 

Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome. 



Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New York. 

tW Any of the above works will be sent by mail, postage prepaid, to any part 
of the United States or Canada, on receipt of the price. 



ROLFE'S ENGLISH CLASSICS. 

ADDITIONAL VOLUMES. 

Browning's Select Dramas (') 248 pages. 

Browning's Select Poems (") 200 " 

Oliver Goldsmith's Select Poems (^) .... 144 " 

Thomas Gray's Select Poems {*) 144 " 

John Milton's Minor Poems (^) 230 

Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome (') . . . . 200 

Wordsworth's Select Poems. 258 " 

Price per volume, Cloth, 56 cents ; Introduction, 47 cents. 

(*) Browning's Blot in the 'Scutcheon, and Other Dra- 
mas. This volume, edited by Mr. Ilolfe and Miss Hersey, con- 
tains A Blot in the 'Scutcheon, Colombe's Birthday, and 
A Soul's Tragedy. It is prefaced by a long and valuable 
Introduction, and supplemented by many pages of elaborate 
Notes, and has the advantage of an interesting letter from Mr. 
Lawrence Barrett upon the production, under his management, 
in Washington and other cities in the United States, of the 
drama which gives its title to the book. 

A volume invaluable to the Browniiif; student. — Boston Traveller. 
The editorial work in this volume is quite equal to any that Mr. 
Rolfe has done, and this, indeed, is high praise.— C/wca^ro Herald. 

(2) Select Poems of Robert Browning. This volume 
contains Herve Kiel, Clive, How they Brought the Good 
News from Ghent to Aix, The Lost Leader, The Bishop 
Orders his Tomb at St. Praxed's Church, Rabbi Ben Ezra, 
Ben Karshook's Wisdom, "Childe Roland to the Dark 
Tower Came," The Boy and the Angel, Two Camels, 
Youth and Art, Song, May and Death, My Star, One 
Word More, Prospice, Invocation, A Wall, Prelude to 
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ROLFE'S ENGLISH CLASSICS. 

the study of Browning, and carefully selected criticism by 
Swinburne, Dowden, Lowell, Morley, Ruskin, Furnivall, and 
others. 

It contains a score of characteristic poems, to which the notes are 
particularly thorough and complete. — San Francinco Argonaut. 

The selections are designed to give as wide a variety as possible to 
the poet's different moods and metliods. — New York World. 

The volume is a good first book in Browning, and it has the addi- 
tional merit of being convenient in size. It is eminently suitable for 
use in schools and private classes. — Beacon^ Boston. 

(3) Select Poems of Oliver Goldsmith. This volume con- 
tains The Traveller, The Deserted Village, and Retalia- 
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of Goldsmith (from the "Encyclopaedia Britannica"), with se- 
lections from memoirs of the poet by Thackeray, George Col- 
man the Younger, Campbell, Forster, and Irving. The engrav- 
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The edition of Goldsmith is indeed a gem. The poems, always 
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I shall add Rolfe's Goldsmith to the list of works on English lit- 
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{*) Select Poems of Thomas Gray. This volume (revised 
in 1886) contains the Elegy written in a Country Church- 
yard, with the Odes On the Spring, On the Death op a 
Favourite Cat, On a Distant Prospect of Eton College, 
The Progress of Poesy, The Bard, and To Adversity, with 
the history of each poem and copious notes. The Introduc- 
tion includes The Life of Gray by Robert Carruthers (from 
the " Encyclopaidia Britannica") and William Howitt's de- 
scription of Stoke-Pogis (from the " Homes and Haunts of the 

2 



ROLFE'S ENGLISH CLASSICS. 

British Poets "). The illustrations are chiefly from Birket Fos- 
ter and the Hon. Mrs. Boyle (" E. V. B.") 

An elegant and scholarly little volume. — N. Y. Christian Intelli- 
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enable him to prepare a classic like this in the best manner for 
scliool use. — Louisville Courier-Journal. 

Mr. Rolfe has done his work in a manner that comes as near to 
perfection as man can approach. He knows his subject so well that 
he is competent to instruct all in it; and readers will find an immense 
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admirable order and breathing the most liberal and enlightened 
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ton Traveller. 

(^) The Minor Poems of John Milton. This volume con- 
tains all the minor poems of Milton except his "translations," 
■with biographical and critical introductions and nearly one 
hundred pages of historical, explanatory, and illustrative notes. 
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series. — Coyigregationalist and Boston Recorder. 

(®) The Lays of Ancient Rome. By Thomas Babington 
Macaulay. Edited, with Notes, by William J. Rolfe, A.M., 
Litt.D., and John C. Rolfe, Ph.D This w^ork contains 
HoRATius, The Battle of Lake Regillus, Virginia, and 
The Prophecy of Capys. The Introduction includes, besides 
the Author's Preface, John Stuart Mill's review and Profess- 
or Henry Morley's Introduction to the Lays. 

I am amazed at the quantity and charmed by the quality and the 
pertinence of classical learning which you have contrived not to stow 
away, but to make interesting and available in this little volume. . . . 
I have been disposed to use the terms good^ then better, and better still 
of your successive works; but I tru.^t that it will remain for those 
who survive me to crown the last with the superlative best. — A. P. 
Peabody, Professor in Harvard University. 

3 



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